Sacrifice In Humphrey Bogart's Casablanca

Few movies in today's day and age display prominent themes of love and sacrifice that classic films were able to capture so flawlessly. Films such as Casablanca, by Michael Curtiz, were able to captivate their audiences with their array of magnificent actors and sublime cinematography that not only leave their viewers in awe, but also make them contemplate the world around them in a different manner. Actor Humphrey Bogart, who stars as Rick Blaine, an equivocal night club owner in the film, and actors Ingrid Bergman and Paul Henreid, Ilsa and Victor, are key components of what made this film into a classic. Through the acting of this film, its music, and its use of lighting, Casablanca is easily amongst the most notable classics films of American

cinema history.
The story of Casablanca surrounds the character Rick Blaine, played by Humphrey Bogart, who is the owner of the famous nightclub “Cafe Americain”. His cafe has been the safe haven for war refugees looking for ways to escape from Germany, over to America. Amongst the refugees, Rick encounters the famous rebel Victor Laszlo, played by Paul Henreid, and his beloved spouse Ilsa, played by Ingrid Bergman, who used to be Rick's old lover. Between these three characters an ambiguous love triangle forms, with the two men shared love for the conciliator Ilsa. As the story progresses, Ilsa and Victor plead with Rick to give them the letters of transit; however, due to his past emotions with Ilsa, Rick promptly refuses to help the couple. Ilsa knows that Rick would never let both Victor and herself leave Casablanca, so she chooses to stay with Rick if he lets Victor flee the country. It is at this point that Rick chooses to go with a change of action. At the airport, Rick holds up Captain Louis Renault, who is played by Claude Rains, and forces him to allow admission for Ilsa and Victor to board one of the planes and escape together. The couple ends up leaving, and Rick is forced to face his demise. Fortunately for Rick, Captain Renault has a change of heart, and chooses to save the abandon Rick. As they walk through the mist at the very end, Rick states, “Louis, I think this is the beginning to a beautiful friendship” (Casablanca n. p.).
The characters within Casablanca are one of the key components of what makes this film a classic.

Rick Blaine and Ilsa Lund, played by Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman, were profoundly intricate and complex characters. The way the two actors interacted within the film the audience could feel the tension, and the genuine emotions between them. According to one source, “Because of their great acting, the acting where the actors experience genuine emotions that their audiences could clearly see and feel” (Comey 28). From the moment viewers first see Ingrid as Ilsa, she portrays herself as a dedicated wife to Victor. As the film progresses, the viewers can see the changes in Ilsa’s character, and her past emotions for Rick become more evident. It is details like these in the acting that bring out the depth in the characters, and make the connections between them seem more genuine and compelling to the audience. It makes the viewers want to see what happens between the two unfortunate lovers as they find their way to freedom. Humphrey and Ingrid did a spectacular job in Casablanca, and because of their acting, it easily was put among the

classics.
As well as the acting within Casablanca, the producers of the film were able to convey the feeling of drama and love of the film through music. Composer Max Steiner, who was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Music in a film (IMDb n. p.) , was in the lead of composition for Casablanca, and he personally scored the scenes between Rick and Ilsa. Author Edward Sorel stated that, “Max rebelled at the idea of composing a score based on someone else's song. He insisted that Wallis allow him to write a new song for Rick and Ilsa” (Sorel n. p.). The scenes of Ilsa and Rick would have been less emotional and dramatic if the music had not been there. The music that Steiner composed to mold the theme to the scenario, orchestrating the melody of the stage, was able to enhance the dramatic qualities of the film. This was a key asset to the success of Casablanca, and it extremely underrated by many who watch it. Without the composition, the film would have lost its dramatic appeal, and would have left many of the scenes with a lack of emotion.
A very notable aspect of Casablanca was the lighting techniques that were implemented for each shot of the film.

These were created by Arthur Edeson, who was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Cinematography (IMDb n. p.). The main focus of the lighting was mainly on the character Ilsa, or Ingrid Bergman. The lighting was used on her from the sides, to give her face a gloomy, honest and unforgettable appearance. One author agrees that, “The films use of backlighting reinforces Ilsas purity and honesty” (Smith 2). However, the shadows that cast over Rick in the beginning shows that he is shrouded in anger and isolation. The lighting is used to convey the unspoken emotions of the characters to the audience, and allows them to feel the specific emotions of that scene. Using lighting, the director is able to create the tensions between the characters with very little dialogue between them. Using the art form of lighting techniques, Casablanca, the director was able to express emotions that would have otherwise seemed bland. Giving the ability to be realistically conveyed, this adds to the movies emotional appeal and captures the attention of any viewer that chooses to watch

it.
The product of Curtis's ingenuity had left a indelible mark on American cinema history. Casablanca will always remain as an American classic, and one of Michael Curtiz’s best films. Through the capabilities of the actors, the music, and the lighting techniques, Curtiz created a cinema masterpiece that would last for generations to come. From its black and white cinematography to its spare and cynical dialogue, Casablanca will continue to be an ageless film. Not only did this film serve as a classic romantic wartime drama, Casablanca also serves as a historical reminder for the chaotic world that reflected WWII, the world that both Ilsa and Rick wanted to escape together. As the protagonist, Rick, once stated, “The problems of three little people don't amount to a hill of beans in this crazy world” (n. p.). No matter what they were going through, it was nothing compared to what was happening in their country.