Casablanca 1942 - As Time Goes By (original song Dooley Wilson)

"As Time Goes By" is a song written by Herman Hupfeld in 1931. It became very famous in 1942 when it was sung by Sam (Dooley Wilson) in the film " Casablanca " Casablanca is a 1942 Hollywood romantic drama film directed by Michael Curtiz and starring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman . The film is set at the beginning of World War II in the Moroccan city of Casablanca , then under the control of Vichy France. The plot focuses on the internal conflict of a man who must choose between duty and love , between the woman he loves and the need to help her and her husband, the leader of the Resistance movement , escape from Casablanca to continue the fight against the Nazis. Although Casablanca was created as an A-movie, with famous actors and first-rate scriptwriters, no one expected to achieve exceptional results

• and indeed, the first screenings brought a solid, but not spectacular success. It was considered to be one of dozens of run-of-the-mill films churned out in Hollywood every year . The film was quickly released to take advantage of the resonance surrounding the Casablanca Conference of the Allies and the landing of troops in North Africa , which took place a few weeks before the film's premiere and was still fresh in the minds of audiences.

Despite multiple changes of screenwriters who were trying to adapt a play that had not yet been staged for the big screen, and despite the fact that it was Bogart's first romantic role, Casablanca won three Oscars , including Best Picture . The American Film Institute declared the film the best American romantic comedy of all time . The characters, dialogue, and music became some of the most beloved by Americans, and the film's popularity grew to such a scale that it is still often named among the best films in Hollywood history. The film's premiere was timed to coincide with the city of Casablanca making headlines in the United States: in November 1942, the Allied forces occupied Casablanca, and in January 1943, Roosevelt and Churchill met there . Given this circumstance, Warner Brothers decided not to postpone the film's premiere. However, American soldiers in North Africa did not see it: the authorities did not want to provoke the numerous supporters of the Vichy regime in the French colonies. Casablanca was the seventh-largest film in the U.S. box office in 1943, but its appeal was not in its box office receipts or Academy Awards , or even its artistic originality (just compare Casablanca to Orson Welles's Citizen Kane ). Its strength was its timeliness, a reflection of Hollywood's ability to create movie magic despite its near- assembly-line production. Rick Blaine's reluctance to take risks for anyone was a metaphor for American society's attitude toward World War II, which was expressed in the isolationist policies that prevailed before Pearl Harbor . And the change that Rick experienced by the end of the film was symbolic of the change in American sentiment after the declaration of war.

LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN The man and the artist

 

Beethoven’s life presents a sharp contrast to his music; where he was often impatient, abrupt, and even careless in everyday matters, his approach to music was marked by profound patience and careful brooding. Although his personal life was frequently distracted and melancholic, his music conveys a sadness that is noble and universal, never mere despair. As a political revolutionist and social rebel, he rejected conformity, yet in his music, he respected traditional forms, choosing to expand rather than discard them. His extempore playing was audacious, yet in his written compositions, Beethoven was cautious and meticulously selective.

Beethoven’s sketchbooks—more than fifty of which were found after his death—are a testament to his slow and careful creative process. These books, filled with musical ideas and repeated revisions, reveal the germination of themes from simple beginnings into the artistic designs of his final compositions. Grove notes that each elaboration brought spontaneity, making them “perhaps the most remarkable relic” of any artist. Beethoven worked simultaneously on multiple compositions and often kept themes in mind for years. Nottebohm, author of Beethoveniana, speculated that had Beethoven completed all the symphonies outlined in these books, there would be at least fifty. His creative process involved relentless revision until each phrase expressed exactly the emotions he sought.

Though outside events occasionally influenced his music—as with the Eroica Symphony—his work was largely independent of his personal experiences. A profound example of this detachment is seen in the Second Symphony, composed in 1802, the same year Beethoven wrote the “Heiligenstadt Will.” In this document, born from his despair over his worsening health and incurable deafness, Beethoven poured out his anguish over his unhappiness and isolation, sentiments not reflected in the lively Second Symphony he composed simultaneously.

Beethoven’s anguish over his deafness and isolation was powerfully conveyed in his Heiligenstadt Will, written in 1802. He described himself as living in "exile," gripped by anxiety whenever near others, fearing his condition would be noticed. He confessed that at times he considered ending his life but was restrained by his dedication to art: "It seemed as if I could not quit this earth until I had produced all I felt within me." He expressed a desperate wish to experience "just one pure day of joy", yearning to feel true happiness once more.

This despair, however, was absent from the music he composed that same year, particularly the Second Symphony, where Beethoven’s artistic voice triumphed over his personal sorrow. Critics observe that this symphony radiates joy and strength. "The scherzo is as proudly gay… the andante is completely happy and tranquil… for everything is smiling in this symphony," showcasing Beethoven’s noble heart and the unblemished illusions of life that he preserved in his music.

There were rare periods, notably from 1808 to 1811 during his relationship with Therese Malfatti and again after his brother’s death in 1815, when personal struggles silenced his creativity. Yet, despite lifelong battles with sickness, financial strain, and heartbreak—including the turmoil caused by his nephew—these hardships rarely penetrated his music. The “Eroica” Symphony might reflect an emotional response, but more often, Beethoven’s compositions served as a refuge and defense against grief. His music was a shelter from sorrow, a fortress that shielded him from life’s woes, allowing him to transcend his trials through art.