Edge of the City | My View

Edge of the City is a 1957 drama film directed by Martin Ritt, starring John Cassavetes and Sidney Poitier. It was Ritt's debut film as a director. Robert Alan Aurthur's screenplay was expanded from his original script, staged as the final episode of Philco Television Playhouse, "A Man Is Ten Feet Tall" [October 2, 1955], with Poitier recreating his original role of "Tommy".

I love the fact that this movie realistically portrays a black couple as any other decent married couple without any stereotypes and without completely whitewashing them. Great movie. Unfortunately, its never discussed as part of Poitiers repertoire. Much better than the movie he won an Oscar for. Great performances for John Cassavettes, Ruby Dee and Jack Warden, also. The Ellen character was inconsequential. No fault to Kathleen Maguire. I felt like the role was written in JUST to provide love interest for Axel, so the "white guy" wouldn't be a third wheel. If you enjoyed "On the Waterfront" you will love this film. I thank TCM for bringing it to my attention.

Join TCM for the December Podcast

Join TCM for the December Podcast, an entertaining and in-depth look at this month's films by the passionate movie-fan employees of TCM. December highlights include a month long tribute to the Hollywood legend and Star of the Month: Humphrey Bogart, an evening of films personally selected by singer-songwriter Neko Case, and a spotlight on the films by Director Frank Capra who brought an unquenchable optimism to the screen. Employee favorites for the month include Holmes for Christmas, Director John Hughes' Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986) part of our TCM Remembers, and New Year's Eve Thin Man Marathon.

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Honored by "Friendly Blogger Award"

Fellow classic movie blogger Ingrid Bergman Life and Films has has passed on the "Friendly Blogger Award" to me! Thanks you so much! Really means alot to this newbie to the classic movie blogosphere coming from a veteran blogger I admire. To be ranked with such superior bloggers as Alfred Hitchcock Geek, La Vie En Rose, and Classic Forever.

It will be hard to choose from so many excellent blogs I follow, but I have it narrowed down to recognizing the folowing bloggers with the "Friendly Blogger Award"

VintageMeld.com who jump started @TCManiacs as one of my first followers. His posts often correspond with the TCM movie schedule as well.
Out of the Past ~ A Classic Film Blog whose tweets I follow and post I often retweet.
Discovering Dirk Brogarde who made the discovery of this unique beautiful actor about the same time I did.
viv.and.larry.com OMG this website is just exquisitely designed and full of information.

Be sure to check out these wonderful contributors of classic film information.

Casablanca | Rick or Vick, What's Your Pick

Everyone knows the classic movie Casablanca, the tear-jerking story of a love triangle between charismatic Rick (Humphrey Bogart), beautiful Ilsa (Ingrid Bergman), and the honorable Victor Lazlo (Paul Henreid). I just have to put the question out there. Everyone knows who Ilsa chooses in the end, but I would like to hear which man you would have picked for Ilsa to choose in the end...and why.

My inquiry was inspired by the following blog post on the subject:

• Casablanca, 1942
• The Lesser Loved That I Love More: Rick Blaine vs. Victor Laszlo
• On love in Casablanca

Tweet me, comment or send me your posts on the subject

Worth Retweeting

TCManiacs
7:30pm, Nov 28 from HootSuite

@TCManiacs Blogs: Casablanca | Rick or Vick, What's Your Pick http://ow.ly/GzV8 Comment or tweet me #TCM

dizzheart
2:55am, Nov 29 from Web

@TCManiacs Vick: Just another macho European lounge suit lizard? Bet if he survived the war Ilse would have found he had mistresses :D

Poppetree
2:07am, Nov 29 from Web

@TCManiacs it could have been Yvonne, havent seen the movie in a long time

ADuralde
2:02am, Nov 29 from Echofon

@TCManiacs The movie does end with the two of them walking off into the fog. And there's that if-I-was-a-woman line.

dizzheart
11:26pm, Nov 28 from Web

@TCManiacs Casablanca: Isn't it curious that they don't let Ilse choose? Russell T Davies didn't make that mistake with Rose in Doctor Who!

dizzheart
8:48pm, Nov 28 from Web

@TCManiacs ... look the more noble of the two men, because Victor could have given up Ilse & he didn't - flawed selfish leader there?

dizzheart
8:47pm, Nov 28 from Web

@TCManiacs Vick: I'd feel wronger about betraying a promise than I would about giving up someone I desired. All structured to make Rick ...

dizzheart
11:26pm, Nov 28 from Web

@TCManiacs Casablanca: Isn't it curious that they don't let Ilse choose? Russell T Davies didn't make that mistake with Rose in Doctor Who!

dizzheart
8:48pm, Nov 28 from Web

@TCManiacs ... look the more noble of the two men, because Victor could have given up Ilse & he didn't - flawed selfish leader there?

ADuralde
7:55pm, Nov 28 from Echofon

@TCManiacs The real love story is Capt. Renault's for Rick.

dawns8
7:42pm, Nov 28 from Web

@TCManiacs Rick, definitely. W/Victor, she would have played 2nd fiddle to his other causes down the line.

Poppetree
7:39pm, Nov 28 from Web

@TCManiacs im going with the french chick who was singing the french anthem.

TCManiacs
7:30pm, Nov 28 from HootSuite

@TCManiacs Blogs: Casablanca | Rick or Vick, What's Your Pick http://ow.ly/GzV8 Comment or tweet me #TCM

Casablanca | Best Scenes & Top Quotes

Casablanca is a 1942 American romantic drama film directed by Michael Curtiz, starring Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman and Paul Henreid and featuring Claude Rains, Conrad Veidt, Sydney Greenstreet and Peter Lorre. Set during World War II, it focuses on a man torn between, in the words of one character, love and virtue. He must choose between his love for a woman and helping her and her Resistance leader husband escape from the Vichy-controlled Moroccan city of Casablanca to continue his fight against the Nazis.

Enjoy these most famous scenes and top quotes from the definitive classic movie, Casablanca!

Ilsa: Play it once, Sam, for old times' sake.

Sam: I don't know what you mean, Miss Ilsa.

Ilsa: [whispered] Play it, Sam. Play As Time Goes By.

Sam: Why, I can't remember it, Miss Ilsa. I'm a little rusty on it.

Ilsa: I'll hum it for you. [Ilsa hums two bars. Sam starts to play] Sing it, Sam.

Sam: [singing] You must remember this
A kiss is just a kiss
A sigh is just a sigh
The fundamental things apply
As time goes by.

Rick: [rushing up] Sam, I thought I told you never to play-...
[Sees Ilsa. Sam closes the piano and rolls it away]

"Play it, Sam. Play As Time Goes By" is #28 in the AFI's list of the top 100 movie quotations; it is often misquoted as "Play it again, Sam".

Rick: If that plane leaves the ground and you're not with him, you'll regret it. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but soon and for the rest of your life.

Ilsa: But what about us?

Rick: We'll always have Paris. We didn't have it before...we'd...we'd lost it until you came to Casablanca. We got it back last night.

Ilsa: When I said I would never leave you...

Rick: And you never will. But I've got a job to do, too. Where I'm going, you can't follow. What I've got to do, you can't be any part of. Ilsa, I'm no good at being noble, but it doesn't take much to see that the problems of three little people don't amount to a hill of beans in this crazy world. Someday you'll understand that. Here's looking at you, kid.

[last lines]
Rick: Louis, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

"We'll always have Paris" is ranked #43 in the American Film Institute's list of the top 100 movie quotations in American cinema; "Here's looking at you, kid" is ranked #5.

An extra treat: Casablanca Script Online pdf In case you want to read along.

TCManiacs rates #100 MOST INFLUENTIAL in MOVIES

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Not bad performance considering months of inactivity due to health and relocation.