You Must Remember This

Tuesday, Ipso Facto had a cartoon regarding black & white movies. He hit on the fact that many see a black & white movie and skip right past it.

Not me. I'll watch an "old movie." There are many great ones. But there's one in particular I want to talk about: Casablanca.

It's my favorite movie. Of all time. Yes, there are lots of really good movies. Some really great movies. But, to me, Casablanca stands head and shoulders above the rest. Okay, maybe just head above some. Or ears. But none rank higher, in my opinion.

Although when I was a teenager, I got into watching old movies, it wasn't until 1994 that I saw Casablanca.

I was in Kuwait. Remember when the President sent troops there in 1994 to stand down Saddam Hussein? I do. We had just returned from a three-week exercise at Ft. Stewart and had a long weekend. Or so we thought. Until the phone rang that Saturday morning and the person said something about "Victory Thunder." At the 24th ID, you didn't want to hear that.

So, I sent the children to their grandparents and repacked my bags for a visit to Kuwait.

A couple of days later, I was in Kuwait, at Camp Doha. We spend the day getting the equipment ready to roll out. At night, they showed movies. And one night, on the schedule, was "Casablanca." Not one who was turned off by old movies, I thought that would be a wonderful time to watch one of the Great American Classics.

That night, I and many others showed up to watch the large projection TV show the tape of Casablanca. But at the last minute, they announced they'd show something else instead. I don't recall what; some recent film of some kind. And while I don't recall what it was, I do recall I didn't want to see it; I'd rather spend my time in Uncle Frosty's playing Spades or Dominoes or something. So, I let out an "Awwww..." And so did many others. So many, in fact, that the person making the announcement was momentarily taken aback. Then some film aficionados in the room spoke up and said that Casablanca was what was announced, Casablanca was what they came to see, and Casablanca was what they wanted to watch.

I was one of the "Yeah, me too!" crowd.

They backed down and said they'd show Casablanca. Which didn't sit well with the younger crowd. But most of them would rather watch Casablanca than spend an evening at Uncle Frosty's.

So, they showed Casablanca. And I enjoyed it.

At first, many of the young crowd made disparaging comments about the film, but shortly into it, by the time Peter Lorre's character was killed, they were fully into the film, laughing at the jokes and having a good time. And, at the end, there was applause. From me and the crowd that wanted to see it, plus from the young crowd that didn't.

I had no idea that on that dark November evening in Kuwait, I'd be introduced to Casablanca and that it would be the beginning of a beautiful friendship.