Dialogue –

“I stick my neck out for nobody” – This use of dialogue creates an insider to the type of character rick is early on in the film, it isn’t until having rekindle the love he has for Ilsa he changes from his cynical nature to that of a Caring person. This can be proven with his reoccurring line ‘Here’s looking at you, kid’ being said whenever he is in a happy mental state.

Underscoring –

Underscoring is used to establish a characters presence in Casablanca. This is best shown in the scene where Rick sees Ilsa. Further in the film we come to understand the significance of the dramatic score used to mark her presence as he is shown to be her past lover.

Sound Motif –

The sound of a piano is associated to Ricks café, this is because whenever a scene inside the bar is shown, the sound of music coming from Sam’s piano is always associated to it.

Synchronous Music –

Synchronous sound can be heard with the plane to Lisbon for example, When the sound of a plane engine is heard by the characters, Rick and Ilsa the next shot is of its origin as a planes propellers start to spin.

Sound Mixing (Atmos/Foley) –

Sound mixing, also known as Foley sound can be found mainly in the scenes of Ricks café. With the clinks of glasses being heard in the background during dialogue, it creates an immersive atmosphere to the scenes location.

Representation:

In terms of historical context, the ideology of how these different groups are represented shows a lot about of how people may of viewed things back then.

Women –

Women in Casablanca, Such as Ilsa, the past love-interest Rick kicks out and the losing gamblers pleading wife are all represented as being almost like accessories to the men, being clung onto or holding onto the men’s arms whilst having decisions made for them. This is best shown in the scene where Ilsa is lovingly clinging to Rick, here she is heard to say “your going to have to do the thinking for both of us”. This in a modern viewpoint is a very patriarchal representation of how women are seen. However during the 1930’s and up until the early 1940’s, Women were often unemployed, having their usual role being in the home, taking care of it and providing for their families, this changed however, as women eventually went to work in factories due to lack of men working because of the war.

Men –

Men in Casablanca are represented as calm and collected, Men such as Victor Lazlo as well as Rick resemble this with their usual expressionless close-ups. Furthermore, Men are shown to be seen to be main decision makers, This can be shown with Rick arranging for Ilsa’s escape with Victor Lazlo. Men can also be shown to be vulnerable, this breaks the usual stereotype as Men in that day were never usually seen to express their emotions. This is shown in the scene where Rick sadly sits at his Bar with tears almost swelling in his eyes as he talks about Ilsa’s return into his life after she had ran away.

Authority Figures –

Authority Figures in Casablanca are represented as mix between corrupt and some signs of fairness. An example of this Mix is Captain Louis Renault, he even admits he is corrupt in a scene where is speaking to rick and in another scene where he closes Ricks Café for gambling just before taking his earning from when he had just been previously playing. Abiding by both Nazi influence and his own, he often helps Rick but additionally betrays him such as reporting the escape of Victor Lazlo. Other representations of Authority figures can be seen with the cruel dictating Nazis, Characters such as Major Strasser represent this as he tries to find ways to arrest Victor Lazlo for his involvement with rebellion activities to the Nazis regime in other European countries.

People of Colour –

People of Colour in Casablanca are represented as either background characters to the setting of Morocco, where people of colour are born there or as an accompanying protagonist to Rick. This can be exampled through Sammy, Ricks Piano player who had travelled with him from France to Morocco. Compared to the society of time where people of colour where still segregated in American, this usage of a black actor as a key part in the story, it shows an early sign of progression in society. This can also be said to act as a form of propaganda, as during the second world war laws on segregation in the US armed forces where lowered so that more men could help in the war effort, Black and white soldiers fought together against the enemy and shared the same equipment, facilities, etc.

Americans –

Americans in Casablanca are represented as divided getting involved with the war, this is shown with the only American, Rick. EX-patriated from his country after becoming stuck in Nazi occupied French-Morocco, he has become distant with his country and the War after losing his true love, Ilsa. Eventually helping in the war effort by helping her and her husband escape to Lisbon. This can been to be a propaganda representation of Americans as during the films release, the Americans involvement with the war was still new. To convince the public to help in the war effort, seeing a fellow countrymen take part would act as good encouragement.

Europeans –

Europeans in Casablanca are represented as either collaborators with the Nazis, such as the Vichy French policemen or Italians who formed the axis with the Germans during the second world war. Other Europeans, like Victor Lazlo, who is Czechoslovakian represent the resistance to the nazis. This could possibly stem from their early occupation dated pre-war showing how they are the most likely to want to fight against the nazis. Obviously, germans in this film are represented as the enemy, the divide in between the main characters and the point of conflict within the storyline.

Intro –

Throughout Casablanca, Aesthetics can shown through the elements of Realism, Tone and Visual Style. Here I will show examples of each and what fits in with them.

Realism –

Realism is shown to mixed with elements of love and and the reality of war. In Casablanca, this is used to create that dramatic storyline of a love not meant to be due to the side-lined threat of the Nazis. With the focus being heavily on Rick and Ilsa’s love narrative, the terrors of the war are side-lined yet still depicted to current with, Parises ‘city of love’ being taken by the Nazis in real news footage. It can be said this was the creative intent as to free themselves from the reality of war movie-goers would attend films such as Casablanca to immerse themselves in an artificial reality.

Tone –

Tone in Casablanca, uses suspense to create that theme of drama. With the threat of being taken away by the Nazis if they showed the slightest involvement to the tickets to Lisbon, this creates the element of suspense as it is unknown if Rick, or any other of the protagonists will be found out.

Additionally with the narrative of Lazlo being a member of the resistance, this shows suspense as through the earlier scene of a resistance member being shot in broad daylight, the audience fears the same will happen to him.

Visual Style (Film Noir) –

Visual motifs in Casablanca can be seen with the reoccurrence of German uniforms. This obvious motif signifies that danger and threat is near as in comparison to reality it is generally known they are the enemy. Sound motifs can be heard when Ilsa is revealed to Rick, with a signifying sound, different to the previous piano song, this connotes that there is something significant about this person to Rick.

Editing style –

Casablanca uses continuity editing to provide an easy flow across the narrative, so the audiences can easily progress through the film without questioning the storyline.

Example –

For example In this scene, a master shot is used to establish the presence of Ricks bouncer at the door. Looking towards Rick to check weather they may enter the gambling room. Turning into a medium shot, the desired guests enter and one is held back, checking with rick, the undesired guest is in the same position of ricks eye in the next scene, This shows an eyeline trace as ricks eyeline matches the angle he is facing.

Locations (Exterior):

Rick’s Café is arranged through the Mise-en-scene as a wealthy and popular area to locals. This is exampled by fancy cars pulling up outside do drop of wealthy dressed patrons as well as busy doors of people entering, furthermore the bright neon sign pulls in the viewers attention as from the years 1920- 1960 Neon was used commonly for areas with a busy purpose, such as Vegas or time square for example.

Another example of location in the mise-en-scene can be with the footage recovered from the Nazis advancements into Europe and by association to the capture of France, French Morocco. In addition filming in Morocco was impossible as Nazis had generally inhabited the country and closed of its borders to foreign travellers, especially the US who from December 7th 1941, were now at war with Germany and Japan.

Sets (Interior):

Through the sets interior, the busy and crowded Mise-en-scene of Ricks Café is shown with people in seats being almost shoulder to shoulder to with each other. This connotes Rick’s Café is highly popular.

With the use of projection of Paris within a set, it creates the illusion that the actors are generally driving and additionally allows for filming and sound recording to be done easier. By having it set in Paris it provides to the storyline where these characters originally met and fell in love, the decision for it to be set in Paris is cleverly used for a love basis being the ‘city of love’ but also acts as propaganda for the war as the love from Paris is brought to a halt under the Nazis, as shown with Rick and Ilsa.

Costumes:

As seen here, the use of costumes add to the storyline to create context of the time period. Filmed and set during the war, French Morocco was taken under German control in 1940 when France had fell to the Nazi’s. This is shown with the characters in a French police uniform and a German Majors uniform.

Reminiscent to the ideas of wealth, a white tux symbolises confidence and sophistication, something we can see with the way Rick acts when confronted with problems such as the Nazis or dealing with his very popular business.

Props:

Props such as alcohol connote how, in proportion, Ricks emotions are in the storyline. When in love Rick is less reliant on alcohol as he is intoxicated on love with Ilsa, however when she leaves him, the viewer can see how he becomes more reliant on it to make him happier.

The pistol is a prop that creates the drama elements of the storyline as up until this point, Ricks character hasn’t resorted to a weapon to solve his issues, when it comes to a matter of love however he is willing to do anything to ensure Ilsa’s safety.

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Humphrey Bogart before filming Casablanca had already been a Hollywood star. Appearing in ‘High Sierra’ in 1940 and ‘The Maltese Falcon’ in 1941 he was already a recognisable actor for his stern, brutish nature on screen. Being paid $550 a week during filming, he would later sign a 15-year contract with them in 1946.

Paul Henreid was another star made famous before Casablanca, being in films such as ‘Goodbye, Mr Chips’ in 1939 and ‘Now, Voyager’ in 1942. Henreid signed a contract with Warner Bros for 75,000 dollars in 1942. Known for his sympathetic roles he was mainly portrayed as a charming lover similar on screen to Ryan Gosling today.

Ingrid Bergman had been in a fair few films prior to Casablanca, these include ‘Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde’ in 1941 and ‘A Woman’s Face’ in 1938. Usually portrayed as the love interest in Romantic Dramas.

Conrad Veidt, famous for his silent films such as ‘The Man Who Laughs’ in 1928, which would later go on to inspire the DC character ‘Joker’. Often playing the villain, this can be seen in Casablanca where due to being part German it landed him the role of playing the Nazi Major Heinrich Strasser. For Casablanca, Warner Bros had borrowed him from M-G-M for 25,000 dollars.

Peter Lorre, who had already worked with Bogart on ‘The Maltese Falcon’ and famous for the Weimar era film ‘M’ which released in 1931. Due to his Jewish descent, he escaped Germany and moved to the US and began a career in Hollywood. After Casablanca in 1943, Lorre had signed a 5-year contract with Warner Bros. Usually playing a anti-hero role his most known role was in ‘M’ when he portrayed a child-killer and the Bond villain in the TV version of Casino Royale in 1954.

9/10 – For me the most memorable scene was the final one where Rick Helps Ilsa and Lazlo escape Casablanca from the Nazi’s. This is so prominent for me as it is an emotional comeuppance of Ricks closed of nature and reveals his true intentions on how he loves her and wants Ilsa and Lazlo take make a difference in the war by escaping to America.