One of the biggest tear-jerkers in all of classic Hollywood cinema comes in Casablanca (1942), the farewell between Rick (Humphrey Bogart) and Ilsa (Ingrid Bergman) at the airport.
In many iconic moments, Rick, as Ilsa prepares to leave for Lisbon with her husband, Victor Laszlo, makes the ultimate sacrifice for the happiness of the woman he loves. Realizing that Ilsa cannot love him in the future as she does in the present, he releases her to her future, even at the pain of their mutual heartbreak, the strongest part of their love being indivisible. As the foggy night continues and the aircraft engines thunder in the background, Rick tells her, “Here’s looking at you, kid,” as she walks away with all the love he strove for.
The raw sentiment of the scene and the melody of "As Time Goes By" combine to create a sense of deep loss that is so absolute that it makes this one of the saddest moments in film history. Rick’s unsacrificing nature, Ilsa’s emotional struggle, even the sacrifices made in the name of something greater render it a timeless tearjerker, one that stirs the heart every time without fail.
This bittersweet farewell, combined with the extraordinary performances and unforgettable music, solidifies *Casablanca* as a masterpiece, and this scene in particular is often cited as one of the most emotionally powerful in Hollywood's classic era.