Casablanca Themes

Casablanca is the most romantic movie all the time. Casablanca movie was set in Casablanca during World War II and directed by Michael Curtiz. The movie has three main characters are Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart), Ilsa Lund (Ingrid Bergman), and Victor Laszlo (Paul Henreid). Casablanca is a romantic movie in which because of love, Rick helps Ilsa and Laszlo escape Casablanca. It is a love story between Rick and Ilsa. Well, love is defined in many ways. “Love is usually explained as an intense feeling or emotion of deep affection, attachment, and devotion.” “Love is a passionate feeling, emanating from heart and soul, which ennobles men and glorifies women.” In fact, love is hard to define accurately. Everybody has their own explanation about love through their experiences. In this movie, the story of Rick and Ilsa illustrates how a true love is. Love is not about caring each other but also about sacrifice. In this movie, love is illustrated as the scene of spending time together, the promise and wait, and sacrifice.

First of all, based on the romance scenes of spending time together of Rick and Ilsa, Casablanca is considered as a

romantic movie. Mario Reading says that Casablanca is “considered by some to be the most romantic film of all time.” Romance is actions or gestures in a relationship in which expressing the feelings of a person towards another. On the other hand, romance can lead to love. From the flashback of the movie, Rick reminded the happy moments with Ilsa in Paris. In the first scene, Rick and Ilsa were embracing each other in the car. Moving to the next scene, they were joking each other in the ship. Additionally, they were cheering in the room and dancing in the ballroom. They ignored all the questions about each other’s pasts in order to enjoy the time they were together. Those moments show that how happy they were in Paris. According the actors’ actions and the romantic scenes, Casablanca can be considered as the most romantic film of all time. Furthermore, the ignorance of knowing about each other’s pasts also illustrated the love is built on an intense feeling, not anything else. So, one of the important things of love is spending time together and caring each other. It could make the love become stronger.

Second, promise and wait are the common things in love. When Rick and Ilsa heard that German army is approaching Paris and Rick forced to leave Paris. Rick convinced Ilsa to leave with him and they would get married. Ilsa didn’t plan that far. But, she agreed and would meet Rick at train station. Unfortunately, she didn’t show up. Rick were waiting. He kept hoping that she would come to the train station. But, she didn’t. Ilsa left a letter for Rick. She told him that she couldn’t come and he had to leave. Then, Rick and Sam got in the train to Casablanca. Although Ilsa left Rick for not telling him any reason, Ilsa is still in his heart. As Michael Wilmington writes,” Nobody lights a torch like Ingrid Bergman’s Ilsa or carries on like Humphrey Bogart’s Rick.” His statement is absolutely right. Ilsa is a beautiful woman. She were charming Rick. Rick loves Ilsa unconsciously. He did everything for her, although he sticks his neck out for nobody. Many time Ilsa meets Rick, she lights up love in Rick’s heart. On the other hand, Rick carries on his love for many years. He suffered and were living with the pain. For instance, Rick met Ilsa in Rick’s café at the first time. She reminded him by the song “As time goes by”. He was drinking and remembering the happy moments with Ilsa in Paris. In another scene, because of trying to help Laszlo, Ilsa came to Rick’s apartment and pretended that she still loves him. In fact, Rick loves Ilsa so much and he’s waiting for her. Well, promise and wait appear in every love story.

Third, sacrifice is one of the most important things in love.

In fact, love is all about sacrifice. As Umberto Eco singled out sacrifice as one of the film’s key themes: “the myth of sacrifice runs through the film.” The statement is totally true. Because of loving Laszlo and helping her husband, Ilsa came to Rick’s apartment seeking for help. She pulled out the gun to force Rick giving her the transit letter. She knew that Rick would never give it to her. She pretended that she were still in loved with him. Because of loving Ilsa, Rick tricked Renault to help Ilsa and Laszlo escape Casablanca. Based on the action of Rick and Ilsa, we could see that sacrifice absolutely presents in love. In general, sacrifice is an important thing and indispensable. It is also key themes of the movie and runs through the

film.

Casablanca is a great movie. A true love is represented from Ilsa and Rick action. They love each other but they have to sacrifice their love. As Rick, he has to let Ilsa go with Laszlo because he knew that Laszlo needs Ilsa and Ilsa still loves Laszlo. As Ilsa, although she loves Rick, she can’t leave her husband. Sacrifice is the most important thing in the movie. It runs through the film. Well, sacrifice is the thing that proving how true love is. It is one of the most important thing in love. So that, this movie is absolutely a romantic movie.