Casablanca and The King and I; spoiler alert!
I just saw most of The Journey (missed about 20 minutes of the beginning) and it reminded me of these two films so much. Major Surov and the King - so masterful, decisive, and in control, but both with conflicts about what they do and how they view the human condition. You are drawn to both these powerful and feared men because you sense the conflicts within them.
For one, they are kind to children. The King is gentle and fatherly to his many offspring and to Louis, Anna's son while striking fear in his subjects. Major Surov kindly allows the two young boys to play with objects on his desk while the adults are terror struck by him. You see the conflicted nature of both when they don't want to appear vulnerable. The King cannot beat Tuptim after she attempted to run away and Major Surov cannot bear to shoot his injured horse. In fact, they both wield whips in those scenes, snapping them in frustration. Both men philosophize about the issues which separate peoples, dream of a better world, but wonder if it will ever come to be. Both men exude sexual prowess.and the object of their desire is the beautiful and proper Deborah Kerr.
The Journey resembles Casablanca because Deborah Kerr, after "The Kiss", realizes that she has been attracted to Surov and would like to remain with him, as Ilsa wants to remain with Rick. He bravely arranges for her and Paul to escape with the others, knowing what fate must await him. Paul is the war hero as Laszlo was in Casablanca. Both women escape, but want to stay with Surov and Rick, their true loves. Surov and Rick are portrayed as tough and uncaring, but we learn that Surov has kept the passports and has not turned them in as he was expected to do. He supects Paul, but moves slowly in order to learn more about his connection to Lady Ashmore. Rick helps a young couple to get out of Casablanca and is broken up when Ilsa walks into his club. He also allows "La Marseillaise" to be played when the German officers are singing their songs. Both make heroic, selfless decisions based upon their evolving characters.