Casablanca: A Romantic Take on War Propaganda
Romance movies have played a huge role in the film industry since it took off in the early 1900's. One of the most popular romantic films of all time is Casablanca (1942), directed by Michael Curtiz, starring Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, and Paul Henreid. Casablanca tells the story of a love triangle between Rick, a cafe owner in Casablanca, Ilsa, a woman Rick fell in love with in Paris, and Victor Laszlo, Ilsa's husband. With the onset of the World War II, Europeans are trying to get to Lisbon, from which they can make it to America. Casablanca is a step in between the imprisonment of Europe and the freedom of America, because it allows flights to Lisbon. However, many people are stuck in Casablanca because they do not have the money or are not important enough to obtain a Visa. With only two letters of transit that allow travel to America, Rick must make the choice between going to America
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himself with Ilsa, or allowing her and her husband to go to America together. Although marketed as a love story, Casablanca incorporates pro-American and anti-German propaganda designed to paint America as a freedom land and turn viewers against the Germans because of its premiere during World War II. Within the first few scenes, it is already evident that the film takes on a very pro-American and anti-German point of view. As the movie begins, the narrator announces that "With the coming of the Second World War, many eyes in imprisoned Europe turned hopefully, or desperately, toward the freedom of the Americas" (Casablanca). The movie is only two minutes in at this point, and America has already been established as a "freedom land," and Europe as a prison. This sentiment sets the tone for the rest of the film. Another piece of anti-Nazi propaganda the film displays is the portrayal of the Germans. The Germans are introduced as violent, and characterized as the enemy. They are unnecessarily aggressive, such as when they shoot a man for having expired documents when they could have easily caught him without resorting to violence. One scene in particular that holds a lot of propaganda against the Germans is set in Rick's cafe, where the German soldiers are singing their national anthem. The other patrons of the cafe start singing the French national anthem, and they sing over the Germans and force them to sit down (Casablanca). This scene shows the rest of Europe resisting Germany. Because the viewer is influenced to side with the rest of Europe rather than Germany, this scene is an example of anti-German propaganda. When the patrons of the cafe are finished singing the French national anthem, one of the German commanders is angry and orders for Rick's cafe to be closed (Casablanca). This shows the Germans in the same aggressive nature they were introduced in at the start of the film. Seeing the Germans react this way to such an emotional moment turns the viewers against them. The anti-German and pro-American propaganda continues through to the end of the film.
In the final scene, Rick has allowed Ilsa and Laszlo to use the letters of transit to leave Casablanca together while he stays. After shooting a German commander that was attempting to keep the plane from departing, Rick is left with Captain Louis Renault, who serves the Vichy government. A very significant part of this scene is when Captain Renault picks up a bottle of Vichy water to pour himself a glass. When he sees the label, he is disgusted and drops the bottle into the trash ("Casablanca (1942)."). Captain Renaults act of dropping the bottle into the trash "symbolizes his open rejection of Vichy France's appeasement of the German Nazi government and support for the anti-Nazi Allied cause" ("Casablanca (1942)."). Captain Renaults symbolic act of throwing away the bottle of Vichy water is anti-German propaganda because it shows he is not only against the German government, but also those who seek to pacify it by doing what it
says. Casablanca shows anti-German and pro-American from the first line of the movie to the very end. Throughout the film, America is presented as a freedom land, a destination some people would do anything to reach, while the Germans are characterized as violent, aggressive, and deceitful. Far from just a romance movie, Casablanca has clear political intentions through its incorporation of anti-German and pro-American propaganda, and is used as a platform to promote these views during World War II.
The body of Kunze’s essay is broke down by the “three triangulations of desire” and these relationships are dissected to support Kunze’s argument. He elaborates on the importance of Rick, Ilsa, and Sam; Rick, Ilsa, and Victor; and what he believes is most important Rick, Ilsa, and Renault. He uses resources such as Kosofsky Sedgwick’s work on homosocial male desire to support his own argument that Casablanca “accurately depicts the emotional complexity of male friendships and the reductive role of women in these fraternal bonds not only to fulfill the film’s admittedly propagandistic goals, but as an inadvertent testament to gender dynamics in a power structure organized around male power and interactions” (Kunze pg.20). Using Sedgwick’s work as a model, Kunze constructs this erotic triangle between each group of characters mentioned above. Kunze examines each relationship and believes it serves as a sensitive register. Kunze explains that there is more power and meaning that the general content. Utilizing Sedgwick 's model, Kunze suggest that the viewer can see the “complexity of Rick 's interactions with Sam, with Victor, and with Captain Renault—each of whom represents different levels of homosocial desire, all trumping Rick 's love and respect for Ilsa” (Kunze pg.21). Throughout the body of the
The film Casablanca, indeed, involves problems that Rick faced and he finally solved that problem, ending in a satisfying way. Risk’s equilibrium is disrupted when he is going to leave Paris with his girl friend Ilsa because Ilsa doesn’t showed up at last. Risk becomes a boss of a cafe in Casablanca but he never imagines that he would encounter Ilsa again. Ilsa walks into Risk’s life again by accident when she is planing to get a letter of transit in Casablanca in order to escape to America with her husband. At the same time, Nazi Major Strasser arrives in Casablanca and tries to stop Ilsa’s husband from leaving Casablanca. Risk’s equlibrium is disrupted again. Risk still loves and hates Ilsa, and moreover, he gets the letter of transit. Even though Risk wanted to stay with Ilsa and let her husband go to America alone, Risk finally let Ilsa and her husband go and killed the Nazi Major Strasser. That is a satisfying ending.
During WW1, the Americans had influenced the war by propaganda. Propaganda is when you spread rumors to influence society. Propaganda was used to affect Germany, Great Britain, and the United States. In Germany propaganda was used to give the soldiers morals and people with false information that was sent by balloons or planes. In America propaganda was used to persuade other Americans to join the war against Germany. In Great Britain, propaganda was meant to convince men into joining the war and for people to save food for the war effort.
If Casablanca's audience had to choose between Rick and Laszlo, they would choose Rick because everything in the film has prepared them to choose him, who represents the rejection of America's involvement in world politics. Instead, the film relieves the audience of the necessity of choice by displacing the film's political conflict into melodrama, where familiar emotions overwhelm ideas. Although Victor Laszlo is always in Rick's shadow, he stands for the values of the father and the prevailing American belief in 1942 that freedom is worth fighting and dying for, which is the definition of the official hero. By censoring the theme of American reluctance to give up its autonomy, the film spares the audience the agony of siding against the values of the father, condensing the oedipal resolution to another shared experience between Rick and the viewer.
The 1942 movie, “Casablanca” portrays a World War II era enclave where refugees fled Nazi Europe and used this unoccupied city as a safe haven while pursuing their dreams of coming to America. The main character is Rick Blaine, played by Humphrey Bogart, who owns a nightclub and casino in unoccupied Morocco during the Nazi era. Blaine, whose sole purpose appears to be money, illuminates a sense of arrogance and self righteousness as he assists in retrieving the necessary immigration documents for those who are willing to pay the price for their freedom. Hidden deep within his memory are the reflections of a women that he once loved, Ilsa Lund, played by Ingrid Bergman. The third leading role was that of Paul Henreid who played the Ilsa’s husband in the movie. Victor Laszlo, a Jewish activist who was on the run from the German Regime was once believed to be dead after being captured and placed in a concentration camp, during which time his wife (Ilsa) fled to Paris and ultimately had an affair with Rick Blaine.
During World War II propaganda was ubiquitous. It consisted of a wide range of carriers including leaflets, radio, television, and most importantly posters. Posters were used based on their appeal: they were colorful, creative, concise, and mentally stimulating. Posters often portrayed the artist's views on the war. They demonstrated the artist concern for the war, their hopes for the war, and reflected the way enemies were envisioned. Posters also show a nations political status: they reflect a nations allies and enemies, how the nation saw itself, and its greatest hopes and fears of the war.
...t it is clearly obvious what is about to happen using an establishing shot. Casablanca also uses camera angle specifically portraying Captain Renault and Strasser as less powerful people in the office scene. Editing allows for smooth transitions between shots and allows for us as viewers to experience the scene like we are seeing through the characters eyes. Lighting provides us a mood of the scene, specifically when Rick first sees Ilsa for the first time since Paris. The Music plays a role in how we as audiences should feel while watching the movie. And without production design movies would not flow correctly. Every setting is specifically chosen to depict the location where the scene takes place. Casablanca is a quintessential film because it ties up all the formal elements of classical Hollywood. Without this movie Hollywood may be a completely different place.
Casablanca debuted in 1942, shortly following the bombing of Pearl Harbor and the United States' entrance into World War Two, although there was plenty of anti-Nazism sentiment, the movie fueled these feelings. There is pro-Allied forces propaganda to support the war, from the scene with La Marseillaise, to the characters of Renault and Rick, and to the last scene. Although the majority of the French patriots were elated to sing their national anthem, it created tension with the German soldiers who imposed their patriotic songs on the crowd, representing the imposition of Germany on France during the war. Captain Louis Renault, who tries to placate who he believes will be the winning side, seems flimsy when compared to Rick, the firm patriot who believes in freedom at all costs. The phrase, "Louis, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship" represents the new strong bond between France and the United States once Nazi-Germany has fallen. Although the film is propaganda against the Nazis, the political language in the movie does not glorify American courage and valor, nor is it militaristic. The movie presents the facts while emphasizing the poor qualities of the Nazis.
Despite not being considered as the traditional ‘hero’s journey’ which is outlined in Joseph Campbell’s argument of ‘separation-initiation-return’, Humphrey Bogart’s character Rick Blaine, in the 1942 film Casablanca, can be argued to follow this twelve-step journey. Campbell states “whether the hero be ridiculous or sublime…” (p.38), on this basis, Rick Blaine qualifies as a hero. These twelve steps are: Ordinary World; Call to Adventure/Disruption; Refusal of the Call; Meeting with the Mentor; Crossing the First Threshold; Tests, Allies, and Enemies; Approach to the Inmost Cave; Ordeal; Reward; The Road Back; The Resurrection; and Return with the Elixir. Although in some parts stages may overlap, this essay aims to argue that Casablanca still
There are mainly two types of propaganda used within 1984, doublethink, which makes people believe contradictory beliefs as correct, while the other helps create fear for the citizens. Some Modern governments aswell as the government in 1984 believe that propaganda is the best way to control their citizens.They believe this as it makes the citizens more easily deceptible. The propogada has a way of brainwashing the citizens by making them believe whatever the party wants the to. The main slogan of the party, “WAR IS PEACE. FREEDOM IS SLAVERY. IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH.”(4), helps them retain control of oceania by causing there to be no questions in the party’s decisions.
The first time we see Rick, there is a sense of authority with his image due to the camera angle he was presented in, the low angle shot. Then the viewers welcome Rick into a corrupt world. His legendary motto screams everything about the type of person he is at the beginning of the film: “I stick my neck out for nobody.” Suddenly, one of the main actors appear; this time a woman known as Ilsa Lund, a woman that already knew Rick. It is revealed that Rick had loved this girl years before in the iconic and romantic city of Paris. Under the disguise of a German, he had planned their runaway from the Nazis, but he believes that she had left him, left him at the transit with the big tickets to democracy. But maybe it was just destiny that she suddenly appears in his bar in current time-referring to one of the most iconic film quotes of all time “of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, she walks into mine.” Now there is conflict though because Ilsa already has an established relationship with Victor Laszlo, a hero of France. All that had happened in this scene was captured in a few artistic, frugal camera shots, and invites the audience to be emotionally moved by the coincidence that had just occurred. After the sense of sight is manipulated, use of music is slyly included. The bar’s piano player plays the perfect song for the perfect moment, “As Time Goes By.” The dramatic tune marks Rick and Ilsa’s closeups, and the scene remembers bitterness, guilt, and the fading memory of the couple in Paris with regards that their love was very real. In Casablanca, it will never be forgotten that in this world, there is a place where good rules evil, and regardless of immorality, romance can still be kept in this chaotic
Rick Bliane, the protagonist of the movie, is a very mysterious and complicated man at the beginning of the movie. In many occasions, he says “I stick my neck out for nobody” and isn’t impressed very easily. Although he seems like the person who only cares about himself, his true nature can be seen as the movie progresses. One example is when he doesn’t allow a member of the Deutsche Bank into the back room of his café. In his past, he was fighting against Franco in the Spanish Civil war and was a antifascist, but he met Ilsa in Paris, Spain and fell in love with her. But when Axis power invaded Paris and she didn’t run away with him, he was heartbroken and became a cynical person. When he meets Ilsa in Casablanca he slowly forgets about his cynical side and become the person that he once used to be. Towards the end of the movie, he has a chance to run way with Ilsa, but he chooses to let Ilsa and her husband escape Casablanca in order to help fight against the Nazis.
Groucho Marx begins his letter to the Warner Brothers with hits and jabs on their illogical point of view on their use of the word “Casablanca” in their new movie title. Both the Warner and Marx brothers address the issue with two separate tones that clearly support their arguments. As the two go back and forth, the letter written by a Marx brother reveal not only a clear picture of their point of view but as well as an extremely persuasive one through his use of rhetorical appeals.
The revolution blew the minds of older generations. After World War 1, foreign propaganda spread over to the United States. Many women's husbands were being sent out for war and were left at home, resulting in many economical changes. With all of the changes, their began to be a cultural shift. The 1920’s was the beginning of the Jazz Age and a new renaissance of rebellion, new thinking, and new norms.
Casablanca does an excellent job in portraying two different kinds of love: a passionate love and an intimate and committing love. Passionate love is unavoidable and a part of life but people need to accept that a love based solely on passion does not last. An intimate and committing love is what will persevere and is what they need to hold on to. In the final scene Rick and Ilsa accept that their moment is gone, that they will be separate for life but “will always have Paris”. She then moves on to continue her relationship with Laszlo. That is the main message in Casablanca: that you need to accept that passionate love doesn’t last and embrace intimate and committing love.