CASABLANCA Order 740517
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CASABLANCA Order 740517
Introduction
Casablanca is a timeless classic film directed by Michael Curtiz. It is considered as one of the greatest movies and love stories of the time. Of importance to understand is that the film was set during World War II before the US joined the war. While the film majorly focuses on love stories between the two main characters Rick and Ilsa, it should be noted that some of the romantic scenes are but a metaphor of war and political antagonism. Throughout the movie, one notices some motifs and symbolism (Groovy Movies, 2020). The research paper aims to analyze one of the scenes in Rick’s Café to enable readers to create meaning from the elements of mise en scene, as mentioned on pages 92-93. Notably, everything in the scene is a fabrication or a true story of what was happening during the time.
Brief Overview of the Paper
During WWW II, Casablanca, Rick, a freedom fighter and exiled American, operates and manages a famous nightspot. Two letters of transit find their way to one cynical Rick. From the film, we note that the sycophantic police Captain Renault does all it takes to please Major Strasser. One of the things that do not satisfy the eye is that Captain detains Czech, an underground leader (Groovy Movies, 2020). However, Lazslo, the Renault detainee, arrives with Ilsa, Rick’s one-time love. This marks the turn of events in the film as Rick is stunned and confused about what to do after seeing Ilsa.
Two motifs generate interests and strike the most to the eyes of the views. The letters of transit and Vichy water strike the most. While Vichy water proves hard to notice, one can interpret it as a massive symbol of the happenings in the United States (Groovy Movies, 2020). At the beginning of the film, we see Louis taking this water as he converses with Humphrey Bogart. This represents or depicts Claude Rains’ allegiance to the Nazis since the area in which this water is found initially occupied by France during the war.
Throughout the movie, we don’t witness the Vichy water again until the very end when Rick and Ilsa and Laszlo are off on a plane to areas of fair justice and freedom. However, before the flight could leave, Strasser arrives and makes an outcry that the aircraft should not be allowed to leave for Lisbon. Rick could not let this happen, and so he shoots him dead, allowing the craft to take off safely (Groovy Movies, 2020). While all this happens, Louis is all eyes and does not make an effort to have Rick arrested. He is hard, saying, “round up the usual suspects.” He pours himself some Vichy water in a glass and sarcastically acknowledges Rick to have become a patriot.
The Memorable Scene in Rick’s Cafe
During the war and because of restrictions made on the importation, textile materials were limited. Initially, the films produced ensured that the characters were teeming with luxurious and high-quality costumes made from the best materials available. Despite the unavailability of resources for the Casablanca’s costume designers, they made the clothes using cotton instead of silk and made adjustments within the film’s lighting and angles.
Fundamentally, the camera, form, framing, proxemics, shot, character placement, and staging positions were essential. The readers and viewers of such movies are able to note that such techniques were good in that they helped create and set the mood (Hoeckner & Nusbaum, 2013). An excellent example is when Rick was opening the safe to draw penny. At this point, the camera lighting and angle were made in such a way that it only revealed his shadow.
The interpretation of such a phenomenon in the shooting of the video is to convey the message that this safe was essential and should, therefore, be kept away from the eyes of the viewers. Importantly, stage positions, proxemics, and music help set the mood of the scene. A song played in the background when Rick and Ilsa were together (As Time Goes By) (Gerstner, & Staiger, 2013). This can be interpreted to mean that the scene was very critical in ensuring that the relationship between Rick and Ilsa develops romantically and for the benefits of the two lovebirds.
Besides, we notice background music and character placement when Laszlo and the French are singing and whining about the (Germans Klinger, 2015). With all sincerity, this is my most exciting scene in the film. Such anthems and songs gave the feeling of empowerment, which is depicted through the French reacted. They are determined and inspired to eliminate Nazis, and so does the viewer feel.
What the Scene Communicates about the Characters and the Story
The standards depicted in the scene deploy the classic Hollywood genre, which is relevant up to today. It does not only entertain the viewers but carries with its topics and themes that are highly discussed today. The premise or aspect of fleeing a Nazi ruled region enables the viewer to comprehend the situation the people of that region felt (Isenberg, 2017). The French nationalism that formed during the time should tell people not to lose hope in every situation they encounter.
Contribution of the Mise En Scene to the Overall Meaning of the Story
Casablanca is very relevant today because of its greatness and simplicity. The scene is easy to follow, with depictions of Hollywood-style films makes the scene contribute immensely to the growth of the filming industry (Robertson & Robertson, 2013). Notably, the scene is appealing to the public and represents the situation that the world was facing during the time. The characters chosen to act the movie delivered the performance excellently. Many people still reference this movie today.
References
Gerstner, D. A., & Staiger, J. (Eds.). (2013). Authorship and film. Routledge.
Groovy Movies, (2020). The Marx Bros (1946). A night in Casablanca. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=br4dNz0gw0g
Hoeckner, B., & Nusbaum, H. C. (2013). Music and memory in film and other multimedia: The Casablanca effect. The psychology of music in multimedia, 235-263.
Isenberg, N. (2017). We’ll Always Have Casablanca: The Legend and Afterlife of Hollywood’s Most Beloved Film. WW Norton & Company.
Klinger, B. (2015). Pre-cult: Casablanca, radio adaptation, and transmedia in the 1940s. New Review of Film and Television Studies, 13(1), 45-62.
Robertson, J. C., & Robertson, J. (2013). The Casablanca man: the cinema of Michael Curtiz. Routledge.