Casablanca Film Analysis

Casablanca is one of the most iconic and interesting early American films, and for good reason. The movie represents the involvement of the United States of America in World War II. As the film begins, a map of Africa is shown with thundering patriotic music. Refugees from the German occupied areas in World War II have streamed into Casablanca, Morocco, still part of unoccupied France. After Paris was lost in June, 1940, people wanted to escape through cities like Casablanca. From there they could get papers to get to Lisbon, Portugal, and from there passage to America. Note how the director, Michael Curtiz, introduces Humphrey Bogart or as he is known in the film, Rick. Humphrey plays the jaded, embittered, lonely, cynical tough guy who

never gives away his feelings. The American Café, which is run by the friendly staff of international backgrounds, that have devotion and a profound sense of respect for Rick. Rick “doesn’t put his neck out for nobody”. As the bar clothes, Sam plays "As Time Goes By" again, and Rick thinks about the past. In his thoughts of old times Rick is joyful and in Paris with a woman named Isla. Things were going well until the Germans invaded Paris, and Rick proposed that they flee together. Isla abandons Rick for reasons unknown to him at the time, leaving him a heartbroken man. When the reminisce ends, the movie goes back to Rick inside his café in Casablanca. Ilsa enters the bar. She tries to explain what happened the night she abandoned Rick in Paris, but Rick is too drunk and rowdy. Ilsa leaves with tears in her eyes, regretting even bothering to talk to Rick. At the same time Laszlo is at Captain Louis's office, where Major Strasser tells him that he will never escape. The next day, Laszlo goes to the Blue Parrot to try and barter with the well-known black market man, Signor Ferrari. He arrives just as Rick leaves. Ferrari says he can obtain a visa for Ilsa but not for Laszlo, because Laszlo is under close watch by the authorities.

The couple decides not to split up. Ferrari then suggests they speak to Rick, the man who he suspects is holding the stolen papers.

That evening at Rick's, a young Bulgarian woman approaches Rick to ask if Rick’s friend captain Louis is "trustworthy." Rick knows that Louis has a habit of offering refugees the papers they need to escape in exchange for “other favors”. Rick then proceeds to defend Louis’ integrity, but not wanting to let Mrs. Brandel's new marriage be hurt, he arranges for her husband to win at roulette table so they can buy the papers. He does this because he knows what is like to feel betrayed in love because of his circumstances. Later, Laszlo asks to speak to Rick. Laszlo tries to purchase the secret papers, but Rick refuses. When Laszlo asks why, Rick replies, "Ask your wife.” This shows Rick’s slight remorse for and sentiment towards Ilsa.

Later in the club, some of the German soldiers have gathered around Sam's piano and are singing the German national anthem. Laszlo tells the band to play "La Marseillaise," the French national anthem, and leads the patrons of the bar in a stirring rendition of the song, which drowns out the

Germans. Major Strasser is furious and demands that Captain Louis shut down the cafe. Louis closes Rick's on the pretext that gambling takes place there, even as he accepts his evening's winnings. Later that night, Ilsa explains secretly to Rick what happened in Paris. After she married Laszlo, he had to return to Prague, where he was captured and put into a concentration camp. Many months later, she heard that he was killed in an escape from the camp. She met Rick shortly thereafter. Ilsa learned Laszlo was still alive just when she and Rick were about to leave Paris together. Laszlo needed her, and she decided to stay with him. She didn't tell Rick because she knew he wouldn't leave Paris if he found out, and then the police would find him and arrest him. Her story finished, Ilsa says she'll never be able to leave Rick a second time, but she begs that he help Laszlo escape. As for whether she will go with Laszlo or stay with Rick, she says she doesn't know what's right anymore and tells Rick, "You have to think for both of us." Later that evening, Laszlo claims to know that Rick loves Ilsa and asks for the letters of transit with good intentions just for her sake. Just then some German soldiers burst into Rick's and arrest Laszlo. The next day, Rick asks the usually stubborn captain to release Laszlo. He convinces Louis by making a plan saying that Laszlo could be arrested on the terms of possession of the robbed papers. To add to his case, Rick tells Louis that he will use the papers to then escape with Laszlo’s wife. That afternoon, Rick sells his club to Ferrari. That evening, at the café, while Rick is giving the papers to Laszlo and Isla, Louis who was hiding in the darkness makes himself visible and proceeds to begin to make the arrest. Unexpectedly, Rick then pulls a small pistol from his coat pocket and aims it at Captain Louis. Rick forces the stunned captian to check in with the airport to make sure that evening's flight to Lisbon will not be delayed or canceled due to “unexpected interferneces”. Louis pretends to call the airport, but he dials up the Major, who is confused at first because Louis is confirming a flight to him, but he then gets the message. When the group arrives at the airport, Rick forces the captain to properly fill in the papers under the names of Mr. and Mrs. Victor Laszlo. Ilsa is disheartened and strongly objects, but Rick knows his choice is correct because “he did the thinking for both of them” and concluded that Laszlo must be supported by Ilsa in order to help with the French resistance movement. Rick also tells Laszlo what happened between Ilsa and him the night before and how she “pretended” to still love him to seduce him out of the papers, he said to Laszlo that knew she was lying because their relationship was finished a long time ago. As Rick is talking, Ilsa begins to sob in the background.
After goodbyes, the Laszlos board the plane. Just then Strasser arrives to make some trouble. Strasser begins to call the radio tower to prevent the plane from leaving, but Rick in a quick and almost instinctual action shoots him in the chest and the plane departs. The French police arrive, and Louis, who has seen everything, curiously and against his usual character orders, "Round up the usual suspects." As the police leave, Louis and Rick become patriot and then becomes a patriot himself. Rick and Louis walk along the wet runway together. Louis says he can arrange for Rick to escape to a town called Brazzaville, this is another French colony in Africa, and that he will pay for “our” fairs. When Rick realizes their alliance in the cause together, the movie ends with Rick saying the famous final line, "Louis, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship." The movie screen closes triumphantly with "La Marseillaise" playing in the background. This film is one of the most famous Hollywood movies of all time and for good reason to.
When the movie was being made in September 1939, the positive relationship between the USA and Britain was unquestionable, yet large amounts of the US public, media and politicians were deeply isolationist.

When war began in Europe, President Franklin Roosevelt realised that the war threatened US security, so he then began to think up ideas to help the European democracies without joining in the war. In the year 1939, the Fourth Neutrality Act allowed the United States to exchange arms with countries involved in a war, provided that the countries paid in cash. In March 1941, President Roosevelt decided to pass the Lend-Lease Act. The act allowed the lending and selling of weapons and food to any country whose defense the President deemed important in the interests and safety of the United

States.
The US was brought closer to the conflict when its navy and air force began to companion British ships and airplanes which transported the materials across the Atlantic, protecting them from German submarines. Roosevelt’s announcement of a shoot on sight policy in September 1941 following an attack on the USS Greer by a German U-boat enraged isolationist senators. The senators actually attacked Roosevelt saying that he was deliberately provoking skirmishes with the Germans. After the bombing of Pearl Harbor in December 1941, only one congressman was against a declaration of war. In November 1942, Operation Torch, the code name for the invasion of North Africa, became the first United States attack in the war. Allied troops steadily rounded up the German troops in North Africa. The Germans in the area surrendered in May 1943. The United States and British victory was extremely important in gaining support behind the entire war effort.
The movie Casablanca connects the ideas of the time with main events and characters in the movie. First of all, the background of the film in the city of Casablanca has a large amount to do with the message in the film. The Moroccan city during that time was a place of refuge for many prisoners of war and people dodging several militaries, mostly that of Nazi German troops. The area itself was under the heavy influence of the Vichy-French.
Additionally the people in the film of Casablanca play a massive role in the slightly hidden innuendos. The character of Louis Renault is portrayed as the highpoint of corruption in power. He is shown as morally undecided and being more faithful to the top offer than having any real ideological and moral grounds convincing him to commit to one cause. The fact that he is French, as his last name of Renault undoubtedly and purposely confirms, contributes significantly to the portrayal of him. At this period of the war there were sympathies on either side of the Allies or Axis influences as France was becoming conquered by both sides. Renault comes to be representative of the exploitation of power. Instances of this are prevalent during the course of the film. When Renault is forced to close Rick’s cafe, he makes a remark to the effect of being “shocked” by the gambling, even though someone runs up to him to give him his winnings from the night. The irony here is supposed to be funny, but is overall too accurate. Even Louis’ allegiance to the police in Casablanca is questioned rather obviously when he tells Rick that he overestimates the control the police has over him as a leading officer, proclaiming that he is the master of his own destiny in Casablanca. This insight of authority demonstrates by Louis Renault’s character the mercenary-like attitude dominant in powerful figures throughout the war.
The Free French theme in this movie is not only established by the plots of certain main characters like Laszlo or Renault, but also by such parts as the scene that leads up to Rick’s bar being shut down. The French patriotically chanting “La Marseillaise” to cover the Germans who were singing “Die Wacht am Rhein” is representative of the hope in the prevailing French struggle and is one of the most unforgettable movie instances of rebelliousness as shown where Yvonne yells “Vive la France!” This conflict with German powers in control is a key theme in Casablanca and one which reaches a resolve with the argument in the airport before Ilsa and Lazslo take off. Additionally, before Major Strasser comes to arrest Rick and the people he presumes are on the plane, he is shown next to a portrait of Adolf Hitler. This type of Nazi imagery is abundant throughout the film. Therefore making the scene where Rick kills the Major even more expressive of America standing up to the threat of Nazi Germany.
In the next scene, Renault who is portrayed as a character who vacillates in his opinions has a change of heart upon seeing the extent to which Rick was motivated in his cause of supporting the French resistance. In an equally symbolic moment he smashes a bottle that is marked Vichy and allows Rick passage to a city with known French resistance. This relationship that conquers authority is meant to be a passion stirrer for support that in the end the U.S can help the world overcome any sort of oppressive totalitarian state, even one as oppressive as Nazi Germany. Even from the beginning, Rick’s sentiments are implied at by his suggested delivery of arms to Ethiopia in 1935 or fighting in Spain for Loyalists in 1936, even though he like the U.S pretends to have no political commitments for the best of the people’s interests.
Other representations in Casablanca of battles with power show the effects that war has on what even creates authority. When the man who boosts loudly that his is in charge of the second largest banking house in Amsterdam he anticipates that this information will gain him interest with Rick. He is quickly met with the response that the foremost banker in Amsterdam is now the pastry chef. This conversation expresses the issue of conceptions of authority and the transitory nature of power by which a man, who has his own perceptions of his value and standing, can face any obstacle, such as the economic hard times of war, and still emerge successful.
Overall, Casablanca was a movie that was timed very well in terms of its relevance to current events. U.S. military action in the area had made the name of the city one that people were more aware of. Most importantly the movie’s views were a look through film of the nation and the turmoil it faced at the beginning and throughout the second world war.