Initial Rating – 9/10

What I enjoyed about Casablanca was it’s simplicity, set design, and character dynamics. Each character got a satisfying development across the story and it led to me feeling sympathetic for the problems being faced by our main trio. The design of Rick’s bar, as well as the exterior shots of Casablanca, were visually interesting and kept me engaged in the story unfolding. As for the editing style, I can’t say that it made the movie any more interesting to me but it worked well for the themes being portrayed in the movie.

Humphrey Bogart – Rick Blaine

Bogart had a successful Hollywood career prior to Casablanca, usually playing secondary villain characters until being cemented as a suave leading man by Casablanca. On contract with Warner Bros, and originally not cast as Rick (for Ronald Reagan)

Ingrid Bergman – Ilsa Lund

As Ingrid was of Swedish origin, she waconsidered ‘exotic’ by American producers, and Curtiz wanted Ilsa to be played by a foreign actress, as he thought they would be able to sympathise with her character. She was active in Europe before Casablanca, being in films like 1936’s On the Sunny Side, or 1935’s Walpurgis Night.

Paul Henreid – Victor Laszlo

Paul was born in Austria to Austrian-American parents, and developed a love for acting early on. Paul was originally attracted to the role of Victor due to his hatred for the Nazi regime, as he was sectioned into concentration camps before reaching America.

Claude Rains – Captain Louis Renault

Rains was a British actor known for playing villains, like The Phantom Of The Opera and The Invisible Man

Conrad Veidt – Major Strasser

Conrad was from Germany but strongly opposed the Nazi regime, speaking out against their anti-sematic viewpoints. Most of his filmography features anti-nazi and anti-war films, apart from occasional villainous roles like in “The Cabinet Of Dr Caligari” and “The Man Who Laughs” (in which the character he plays became the inspiration for DC’s Joker)

Sydney Greenstreet – Signor Ferrari

Greenstreet avoided appearing in any films until he was 61, where he worked with Humphrey Bogart in “The Maltese Falcon” only a year before Casablanca.

Peter Lorre – Ugarte

Lorre was a Hungarian actor, who was known for playing “timidly devious” characters. He worked with Warner Bros for years on different crime films.

S.Z. Sakall – Carl

Sakall is a Hungarian actor who worked on stage throughout the 10s-20s. He moved to Hollywood after the Nazi’s pushed him out of Berlin. He spent his career playing supporting roles in film and musical.

Madeleine LeBeau – Yvonne

French actress who fled France with her Jewish husband after Axis takeover, once arriving in America she was given a contract by Warner Bros and started with Casablanca

Dooley Wilson – Sam

Wilson was a popular musician in the 20’s and 30’s, having toured across the world with his band before starring in Casablanca.

Joy Page – Annina Brandel

Though her stepfather was the head of Warner Bros, he did not want Page to be in Casablanca. Reluctantly she was cast at age 17, and never made any movies with Warner Bros again

John Qualen – Berger

Originating in theatre troupes in America and Canada, Qualen went on to make over 100 movies across his career, with his biggest role being in 1940’s “The Grapes Of Wrath”

Mise En Scene in Casablanca

Although Casablanca is set in Morocco, it was shot on a soundstage in Burbank, California; specifically in Warner Brothers Studios. It was chosen to be shot on specially designed soundstages instead of on location in Morocco due to both the expense of international production and the ongoing war in Morocco at the time. Each set was built for the movie, meant to mimic actual Moroccan architecture to create verisimilitude for the settings.

Editing in Casablanca

Casablanca utilises the invisible style of storytelling to engage us in the character’s personal relations. The very claustrophobic and intimate shots of Rick and Ilsa we see when they are talking in Rick’s bar clue us in to the dynamic that they share, and allows us to connect with the emotional tone of the scene.

Sound in Casablanca

Max Steiner composed the orchestral score for most of the film, which provided an epic and patriotic feel to particularly emotional scenes. Though it is synonymous with the film, “As Time Goes By” wasn’t written for Casablanca, it was written for a Broadway musical by Herman Hupfeld.

Aesthetics in Casablanca

Casablanca’s set and costume is designed to specifically create verisimilitude for Casablanca, trying to precisely mimic the architecture and sensibilities of an urban Moroccan town.

Hal Wallis, as producer for Casablanca, put together the production team and script for the movie.

Themes and Issues

Isolationism – a policy of remaining apart from the affairs or interests of other groups, especially the political affairs of other countries. Rick starts the movie as an isolationist, but ends as a sentimentalist and a patriot.

What was America’s view on WWII? 88% of Americans opposed the idea of declaring war against the Axis powers in Europe, and only 35% of Americans believed their government should risk war to help the British.

Representation in Casablanca

Women: Minor female characters, only used as love interests or “damsels in distress” if not background characters, gender roles reinforced

Men: Leading force of the story, all characters with authority are male, gender roles reinforced

Authority Figures: Police, private investigators, all white males

People Of Colour: Only a few POC characters, most notably Sam, the piano player

Americans: Rick and Sam, presented as positive and in demand characters

Europeans: Most European characters as shown to be struggling immigrants caught between war-torn countries

34 different nationalities are represented in Casablanca, both in front of and behind the camera.

Political and Social Contexts in Casablanca

ALLIES – Great Britain, The United States, and The USSR

AXIS – Germany, Italy, and Japan

France was occupied quite early in WWII, causing some rogue soldiers to become the “free French” (allies). Vichi France is a territory occupied by the German forces in France, run by a pseudo-German government (has control over Casablanca)

WWII starts in 1939, but The US doesn’t join the war until the December 7th Pearl Harbour bombing by Japan in 1941, prompting their entry to the war.

Operation Torch

Allied invasion of French North Africa during WWII. Torch was a compromise operation that met the british objective of securing victory in North Africa while allowing American armed forces the opportunity to begin their fight against Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy on a limited scale. “It captured the zeitgeist”

On November 26th, 1942, Casablanca was premiered in New York City

Casablanca Conference

Was held in Casablanca, from Jan 14-24 1943. Used to plan the Allied European strategy for the next phase of WWII. Main discussion was between US President Franklin B Roosevelt, and British PM Winston Churchill.

Americans learn about the war through Newspaper, Radio, and Film.

first response

‘Casablanca’ is a romantic tragedy which over time got the title of “one of the greatest love stories ever made”. The film is set in 1942 and follows the story of the main character Richard (Rick) and Ilsa who is the love interest. I have decided to give this film a rating of 7/10 due to the fact that I enjoyed the storyline and plot of the movie as well as the romance. This is because of the ‘invisible editing’ and clear storytelling through the shot sequences and amazing acting but I also enjoyed the humour throughout the film. However, I would have probably enjoyed it more if it was filmed in colour instead of black and white.

memorable scene

In my opinion, the most memorable scene was when Rick and Ilsa see each other for the first time again at Rick’s after Ilsa left him in Paris. This is because I feel like it was a very powerful and emotional scene and though this film is shot in black and white, the scene is lit very well compared to the rest of the film being very dark and shadowy. The performance from both protagonists was also great and not too over the top in this scene which just amplified the experience of watching it.

key actors

Humphrey Bogart

Humphrey Bogart was a famous American actor who is now known as a cultural icon from the golden age of Hollywood. He was born on the 25th of December 1899 and passed away on the 14th of January 1957. Bogart began acting in Broadway shows, debuting in ‘The Dancing Town’ (1927), he often appeared in roles portraying gangsters which made him recognisable as “tough without a gun” referring to him mostly playing the roles of “bad guys”. He also made a protagonist appearance in ‘The Petrified Forest’ in 1936 as well as being praised for his role in the gangster drama ‘Dead End’ in 1937 and many more before landing his most famous role as Rick in ‘Casablanca’ (1942) which even led him to win an Oscar for his performance. Bogart was not originally meant to play the role of Rick however the producers of the film fought for him to play this role as they thought he was perfectly made to play Rick. During his acting career of about 30 years, Bogart appeared in more than 75 feature films as he was signed with the Warner Bros. for the majority of his career. Bogart was not always seen as a fit for the role of Rick as he did not usually play romantic characters however, due to his screen presence, charisma and good looks and also Micheal Curtiz’s admiration, he got the role.

Ingrid Bergman

Ingrid Bergman was a Swedish actress who’s career lasted over five decades, she was well respected and loved in the film industry due to her kindness, talent and as many would say, captivating looks leading her to get the title of one of the most influential screen figures. She was born in Sweden on the 29th of August 1915 and died on her birthday in 1982. Ingrid began her acting career by starring in numerous Swedish and German films before making an appearance in her first English re-make of the film ‘Intermezzo’ which then led her to land the infamous role of Ilsa in ‘Casablanca’ at just 26 years old. During her lengthy career, she went on to win 3 Academy Awards, 2 Emmy Awards, a Tony Award and many more due to her immensely successful career. The writers of ‘Casablanca’ wanted to cast a young, beautiful and most importantly foreign actress due to them wanting to make the role of Ilsa as realistic and authentic as possible, her accent was considered a huge bonus.

Paul Henreid

Paul Henreid is best remebered for his various roles in films during the 2nd World War such as Karl in the war drama film ‘Night Train to Munich’ (1940), Jerry Durrance in ‘Now, Voyager’ (1942) and infamously his role of Victor Laszlo in ‘Casablanca’. He was born on January 10th, 1908 and passed away on the 29th of March 1992 in a small town in what was known back then as part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire where he first started acting. He then went on to be a successful actor, director, writer and producer, also known to have worked alongside the Warner Bros. during the golden era of old Hollywood. In his role as Victor Laszlo in ‘Casablanca’, Paul was praised for his heroic and inspirational image on screen as one of the main protagonists in the film portraying a leader of the resistance fighting against Nazis. He was also perfect for the role due to his professionalism and dedication to all his roles, giving his best performance for the camera.

Claude Rains

After his American film debut as the character Dr. Jack Griffin in the horror film ‘The Invisible Man’ (1933), William Claude Rains went on to have an acting career which spanned for a total of 7 decades. He was born on the 10th of November 1889 and passed away on May 30th, 1967. He was a British American actor who starred in numerous films such as ‘The Adventures of Robin Hood’ (1938), the iconic horror film ‘The Wolf Man’ (1941), the religious film ‘The Greatest Story Ever Told’ (1941) and many more including his famous role as Capitan Louis Renault in ‘Casablanca’. Claude signed a long-term contract with Warner Bros. in November of 1935 where he was able to be loaned around to other studios during this time. Rains was a highly versatile actor, capable of playing a wide range of characters due to his ability to portray both charm and cunning, further landing him his role in ‘Casablanca’. Despite of not being the lead role, Claude had a commanding screen presence. His scenes with Bogart were ones of the most memorable and his ability to portray authority with his character as well as being able to deliver humorous lines without them feeling forced.

Conrad Veidt

Veidt who was born on January 22nd 1893 and sadly passed away on April 3rd 1943. He attracted the attention of directors very early into the world of cinema, landing his first major role in the silent German Melodramatic film ‘Different From The Others’ (1919), the silent horror film ‘The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari’ (1920) and also one of his most famous role in the romantic drama ‘The Man Who Laughs’ (1928) before landing his role of the German Major Strasser in ‘Casablanca’. After a widely successful career in German silent films when he became one of the highest paid actors during that time, him and his Jewish wife had to leave Germany in 1933 when the Nazis came to power. The couple settled in England for a few years before moving to America where he was signed with the Warner Bros. Despite his bubbly and kind personality in real life, Conrad was casted to play one of the antagonists in the movie. His role as a corrupt Nazi who wasn’t completely loyal to the Germans was presented as stern and spiteful however played really well.

Sydney Greenstreet

Greenstreet was a British and American actor who was born on the 27th of December 1879 and passed away on January 18th 1954. He is well-known from three of the most famous Warner Bros. films during the 1940s, the American film noir ‘The Maltese Falcon’ (1941), The American war film ‘Passage to Marseille’ (1944) and of course ‘Casablanca’. Though he did not start his acting career until the age of 61, he debuted his stage appearance as a murderer in the 1902 production of Sherlock Holmes. He continued acting in plays then went on to produce some himself which led him to become well known and well respected in the film industry due to his range of skills and talent. In 1949, Greenstreet switched the focus of his career to the radio drama series ‘The New Adventures of Nero Wolfe’ which ended in 1951 as well as his acting career.

Peter Lorre

Peter was a well-known Hungarian and American character actor who was born on June 26th 1904 and died on the 23rd of March 1964. He first started his acting career in Europe then moved to America where he got signed with the Warner Bros. studios in the 1930s. Known for his timidly devious characters, his appearance, and accented voice, he was frequently typecast as a sinister foreigner which was no different from his role of Ugarte in ‘Casablanca’. He has been caricatured throughout his life and his cultural legacy remains in media today. He began his stage career in Vienna, in the Austro-Hungarian Empire, before moving to Germany where he worked first on the stage, then in film in Berlin during the late 1920s and early 1930s. Lorre, who was Jewish, left Germany after Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party came to power. Lorre caused an international sensation in the Weimar Republic era film M (1931) where he portrayed a serial killer who preys on little girls. His second English-language film was Alfred Hitchcock’s ‘The Man Who Knew Too Much’ (1934), made in the United Kingdom.

S.Z. Sakall

Sakall (1883-1955) was a well known stage and film Hungarian American actor who has appeared in many prominent films such as ‘Casablanca’ in which he played the head waiter in Rick’s bar. He has also appeared in the romantic comedy ‘Christmas is Connecticut’ (1945), in the musical romantic comedy ‘In The Good Old Summertime’ (1949) and the musical ‘Lullaby on Broadway’ (1951). Sakall played numerous roles in the classic style of Hollywood productions hence why becoming a well respected and loved part of the film industry due to his talent, dedication and lengthy career. He also earned a reputation as one of the “stalwart character-acting veterans” of his day, particularly after being given his loyal and significant role in Casablanca.

Madaleine Lebeau

Though Madaleine (1923-2016) did not get casted for one of the main roles in ‘Casablanca’, however she possessed an acting career spanning numerous decades starring in films such as her first one being the melodrama ‘Young Girls In Trouble’ in 1939, the British drama film ‘Cage Of Gold’ (1950) and many more successful and recognisable films from which she gained talent and fame as she was seen as a beautiful and talented actress often compared to Ingrid Bergman despite their completely different levelled roles in ‘Casablanca’.

Dooley Wilson

Arthur “Dooley” Wilson (1886-1953), was an American actor, singer and well known musician who is best known for his character of Sam in ‘Casablanca’. Wilson was a drummer and singer who led his own band through the 1920s, touring mostly nightclubs in London and Paris getting many people’s admiration due to his immense talent. He began acting in the 1930s being casted for supporting roles on Broadway and a series of films such as the American comedy “My Favourite Blonde” (1942), the Western “Passage West” (1951) and many more. Wilson was borrowed by the Warner Bros from Paramount Studios in 1942 when the casting for ‘Casablanca’ began for 7 weeks at $500 a week.

Joy Page

Joy was born on November 9th 1924 and died on April 18th 2008. She was an American actress who is best known as her role of the Bulgarian refugee Annina (she was also sometimes credited as Joanne Page). In 1936, Joy’s mother married Jack L. Warner who was then head of the Warner Bros. Studios however despite this, he did not encourage his stepdaughter’s interest in acting. She was only 17 when she landed her role in ‘Casablanca’ without the help of approval of her stepfather therefore he refused to sign her to a contract and she never appeared in another Warner Bros. film after that. She went on to work for various other studios and even began regularly working for Disney later on in her career.

John Qualen

John (1899-1987) was an American character actor with Norwegian heritage who specialised and was well known for playing Scandinavian roles. He has starred in films such as the American drama “The Grapes Of Wrath” (1940), The American comedy “His Girl Friday” (1940) and of course his role in ‘Casablanca’. Qualen was also a flautist, having begun to play at only 8 years old, he continued studying music and even went on to play for an orchestra further into his career. He has also starred in a lot of films such as the drama “Street Scene” (1931), the American comedy film “Sing And Like It” (1934) and many more before ‘Casablanca’ and though he did not land a very relevant or memorable role, he did get signed with the Warner Bros.

Michael Curtiz (director)

Curtiz (1886-1962) was known as one of the greatest and most respected directors of all time. Producing over 170 films for Warner Bros. alone, he specialised in the film art known as ‘Film ‘Noir’ which is a style of film focusing on the high and low contrast (filmed mostly in black and white), enhancing shadows and creating a mysterious feel for the films. He was very passionate and caring about all his work, making him admirable and highly successful in the film industry.

Hal B. Wallis (producer)

Harold (Hal) B. Wllis

Wallis (1898-1986) was an American film producer who is well known for producing ‘Casablanca’ and many other popular films during the ‘Classic Hollywood’ era such as the American Film Noir “The Maltese Falcon’ (1941), the American melodrama ‘Dark Victory’ (1939) and many more which made his work become recognisable and respected. Hal is also the one who specifically requested Humphrey Bogart for the role of Rick because he thought that he would be the perfect fit for the role.

mise-en-scene

• location – as much as ‘Casablanca’ seems like an exotic and tropical place portrayed by the film, it was actually all filmed on a sound stage with an artificial built set within the premises of the Warner Bros. studios in Hollywood, other than the end scene at the airport which was filmed at a local airport in Los Angeles.
• interior sets – every single set was built after a lot of research about the actual place Casablanca in order to give a very authentic and realistic feel to the film. As lighting was a huge part of filming ‘Casablanca’ and how the final product would look, every piece of set design was purposeful in order to work with the lighting, creating pretty and visually interesting patterns in the form of shadows on character’s faces or on the walls enhancing the ‘Film Noir’ style of film.
• props – props in the film such as the roulette table and cigarettes are very important as all these things get a close-up of them meaning that they hold some sort of symbolism but also to show their importance in a specific scene or throughout the entire film or even just relating to one specific character.
• costumes – most characters in the film are meant to be refugees however, regardless of this, everyone in the film was well dressed and everyone followed their own colour scheme. For example Ilsa, her dresses were simplistic but elegant therefore emphasizing her youth and liberty but also her wearing a hat in most scenes also became iconic overtime due to it looking sophisticated and powerful. Another example would have to be Rick’s character who is usually seen in a black or white, well-tailored and expensive looking suits to show his power and authority.

editing

Even though Casablanca is an older film, the editing was seen as impeccable and even to this day, this movie gets a lot of recognition for its “invisible editing” meaning that the cuts throughout the film is done intentionally in order to not be noticed in any way. This is because when watching the film, the audience is meant to be amerced fully into the world of the film. The editing also allows the spectator to find out crucial information about he characters. For example, in the roulette wheel scene when Rick is helping the young man win the game in order to get enough money for him and his wife to get a visa and leave Casablanca, the editing throughout the scene was rapid and the camera did not only focus on the characters talking but it also cuts to symbolic features such as the wheel and the chips and the number 22 also having a significant appearance. This scene conveys suspense and interest but it also shows the spectator that Rick is not as heartless as he gets introduced to us at the beginning enhancing his character development.

sound

Though Casablanca was filmed not long after synchronised sound started appearing in films, the dialogue between the actors can be heard very clearly therefore allowing the spectator to almost feel the character’s emotions through their voice. There was also no Foley sound meaning everything we heard was organic and came only from filming other than the synchronised music in some scenes though in a lot of them we had the character Sam playing the piano live while filming.

As well as other old songs played in the film, the song ‘As Time Goes By’ written by Herman Hupfeld but composed by Max Steiner is an iconic slow romantic jazz song which becomes the sound motif of Casablanca. Funnily enough, Steiner did not like this song to begin with and it was also written for a different film entirely however due to some inconveniences with the actress Ingrid Bergmen on set, they were not able to change it therefore, Steiner composed the instrumental part of the song in different ways and almost in different genres in order to give of a different feeling every time we hear throughout the film. Sometimes it would appear euphoric and magical to emphasize the love between Ilsa and Rick however in other scenes it would sound dark and almost ominous to represent fear or danger.

aesthetics

themes and issues

Isolationism relates to the policy of remaining apart from the affairs or interests of other groups, especially the political affairs of other countries. At the beginning of the film, Rick was seen as a isolationist as he was seen as just a bar owner who did not care much about much more than making money off of the refugees who would end up in Casablanca and were waiting for a way out. Most Americans were strongly opposed to the idea of declaring war on the Axis powers in order to help the Allies. Much like Rick in Casablanca, he did not want to get involved at all with anyone else and he did not want to be found being on one side or the other. However, a few years into the war, America gets involved in the war even though there was a chance where they would lose. Similarly, Rick decides to get involved with helping out Ilsa and Victor by getting them the documents needed as well as sacrificing his own good reputation by shooting a German general in order to get Ilsa on a plane, further showing his undying love for her and emphasizing his loyalty.

film style

Casablanca is most famously known for being in the Film Noir style. This style focuses on the contrast between dark and lit up areas on the screes, this is also known as chiaroscuro. Film Noir directors also love creating pretty patterns and designs on the characters in frame or the environment around them by using blinds or props which captivate the light and therefore the eye of the spectator by using shadow play.

representations

women

In this film, women are portrayed through a complex lens which navigates themes of loyalty, sacrifice and the limitations placed upon them by both personal and societal expectations. the central female character Ilsa Lund (‘femme fatal’) embodies the conflict between personal desires and the harships which the war was bringing to women’s lives such as having to run from place to place for a man. Her relationship with Rick serves a symbol of emotional and moral ambiguity; as she’s positioned as the object of Rick’s affection, her choices are dictated by the war and her marriage with Victor is being overseen by her sacrifices to stay with him before and after he went to a concentration camp showing how women would have done anything for their husbands at that time regardless of their health or financial stability. Ilsa’s character, though often depicted as emotionally torn, is often seen as a woman who is capable of making difficult decisions for the greater good, reflecting a sense of agency within a difficult context. Yet, the film’s treatment of women also underscores their secondary role in a male-dominated narrative as all women seen in the film are always surrounded by men or with a male partner.

men

the representation of men is intricately woven into the fabric of wartime heroism, moral dilemmas and personal sacrifice with the male characters embodying symbolisms such as Rick’s character arc where he shifts from being an isolationist to a patriot. Though Rick is portrayed as the stereotypical reluctant hero who has a ‘hard exterior’ due to the fact that he is emotionally closed off due to past heartbreak. Similarly to this, Victor is also presented as patriotic hero who highlights the hardships men had to go through during wartime showing his masculinity and undying commitment towards a greater cause. Though most male characters throughout the film seem to have a stereotypical ‘macho’ look and feel to them due to them dressing smartly and elegantly showing their respect and status, characters like Rick also show their personal and emotional side showcasing the fact that they are just humans after all.

authority figures

Authority figures in this film are depicted through a nuanced lens which often blends corruption, self-interest, and duty, reflecting the moral ambiguity of wartime politics. Capitan Renault, the Vichy France police officer further embodies this representation as he is also under the control of the Germans showing that he is morally disadvantaged. Even though Renault is made out to be one of the bad guys the same as all other authority figures, spectators do start feeling somewhat sympathetic towards them as they are under the control of a greater power which they cannot go against therefore making the viewer sympathise with them.

people of colour

Though Sam is the only person of colour we get introduced to in the film, he has a very positive representation created among his character as Rick’s old friend, companion and even employee, Sam is seen as an innocent and smiley character who has the hearts of many especially with his performance in the film. During this time racism was definitely still a sensitive topic of discussion but definitely not unheard of therefore it may have been a little surprising having only 1 black person in this movie with no connotations or connections to racism whatsoever.

Americans

Americans are presented as being somewhat above the foreigners in the film as they are not necessarily stuck in Casablanca as some of them already have an American passport and Visa. The main example of this is Rick and his embodiment of the Americans in WW2, his transformation throughout the film, from an isolationist to a patriot was the main representative of America and their morals during the WW. The film showcases Americans as having the power to influence certain events but also as reluctant participants in global struggles, stuck between personal pleasures and their call of duty.

Europeans

Europeans are represented as being both victims and collaborators with the Nazi’s ruling, often representing a range of moral complexities and survival instincts in the case of wartime oppression. Though Ilsa’s character embodies an European woman who has been forced to move from country to country along with her husband Victor who is depicted as a hero as he was part of the resistance, they are represented as positive European characters. This however contrasts characters such as Major Strasser who even though he is European, he is correlated with the Nazi as he was one of the German officers who was taking over France therefore creating two opposite representations of the Europeans in the film.

political and social context

World War 2 started in 1939 and ended in 1945. There were two main groups fighting against each other to acquire land during the war, these were: Allies – Great Britain, Russia (USSR), USA and Axis – Germany, Italy, Japan

During the war, France was on the Allies’ side fighting against the Axis however very early in the war, France got defeated and they surrendered. However, there were French soldiers and generals (Allies) which wanted to keep fighting against the Germans, these were known as the 3 French.

Free France – Vichy France was the central and southern part of France where “unoccupied” France was still controlled by the German government. Casablanca is also in Morocco which was also a part of French territory at the time therefore, Vichy France controlled Morocco.

America was an isolationist country at the beginning of WW2 however, after the attack at Pearl Harbour a couple years after the war starter, America officially declared their inclusion in the war.

Operation Torch (November 8th 1942) – Torch was a compromise operation that met the British objective of securing victory in North Africa while allowing American armed forces the opportunity to begin their fight against Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy on a limited scale, arrival of the Allies.

world premier of Casablanca – It had its world premiere on November 26, 1942, in New York City and was released nationally in the United States on January 23, 1943. The film was a solid, if unspectacular, success in its initial run.

Casablanca Conference (January 14, 1943 – January 24, 1943) – the finalization of Allied strategic plans against the Axis powers in 1943, and the promulgation of the policy of “unconditional surrender.” (President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Prime Minister Winston Churchill, the French generals Charles de Gaulle and Henri Giraud, and the CCS. Joseph Stalin, the Soviet premier).

“It captured the zeitgeist” – the defining spirit or mood of a particular period of history as shown by the ideas and beliefs of the time. “the story captured the zeitgeist of the late 1960s”.

news about the war – In the cinemas they used to have short clips of what was then considered as the news where Americans would sit and watch what was happening in the world before watching the main film as well as listening to the radio and reading newspapers.

First Response to Casablanca

Personal Rating- 9/10

Memorable Scene-

The scene where Isla is trying to convince Rick to give her the tickets for the plane. The reason why I found this important is because at the start she was begging for the tickets for her and her husband and then the scene ends with her kissing him.

Why?

I loved this scene because although she was with Victor Lazso she realises that Rick is the man that she’s meant to be with. You can see that they were meant for each other in the end but for the greater good of America, he let her go.

Key Characters

Humphry Bogart- Rick Blaine

Humphry bogart was famous before Casablanca. He was born on December 25, 1899 in New York City. His father, Humphrey Deforest Bogart, was a well-known surgeon and his mother, Maud Humphrey, was a reputable artist and illustrator. Having ample financial means, the Bogarts wanted only the best for young Humphrey.

Bogart is on contract to warner brothers but he mainly made gangster films & detective films but never was seen as a leading man. Until he was in Casablanca where he wads shown in a different light. “Maltese Falcon” Classic which Bogart was in. The producer really fought for Bogart to be in Casablanca as others didn’t see him in this part.

When your a contract actor you don’t really have a decision when it comes to picking which role you are in. The company pick your stock type for you. The house style in warner brothers are very gritty movies gangster like. Traits of character- cynical, tough.

He was a character/ actor who was tough without a gun. Bogart would only play bad guys and leading parts because of Warner Brothers. They wanted to develop his screen persona as they wanted to show a romantic side.

Ingrid Bergman- Isla Lund

Ingrid Bergman (born August 29, 1915, Stockholm, Sweden—died August 29, 1982, London, England) was a Swedish actress whose natural charm, freshness, intelligence, and vitality made her the image of sincerity and idealized womanhood.

Ingrid was exotic so that’s why she was chosen for this movie. Americans loved accents

Paul Henried

 Born January 10, 1908, Trieste, Austria-Hungary—died March 29, 1992, Santa Monica, California, U.S. was an Austrian-born actor whose elegant sophistication and middle-European accent made him ideal for romantic leading roles in such motion pictures as Casablanca (1942) and Now, Voyager (1942).he subsequently began a second career as a director, particularly for television. He died just days before Casablanca was rereleased in honour of its 50th anniversary.

Michael Certiz

Hungarian- makes 173 films for Warner Brothers- he has knowledge to know what its like to leave Europe-all the extras were refugees/emerges- lot of empathy for the extras- mercerise was the French song that they sang over the Nazi anthem- Dolly was used a lot in Casablanca- broke away for the Hollywood norms- was known with the camera movements.

Pearl Harbour-

the Japanese bomb in Hawaii, brings America into the war, unprovoked attack, they tried to keep America isolated, millions died, day later the play script was sent to many publishers.

Mise En Scene

Elements of Light and Shadow (even with props). The reason why Casablanca used the elements of light and shadow was because film noir was a famous thing back in those times. The meaning on film noir a style or genre of cinematographic film marked by a mood of pessimism, fatalism, and menace. The term was originally applied to American thriller or detective films made in the period 1944–54. Through a meticulous combination of lighting, framing, camera movement, and production design, “Casablanca” creates a richly textured world that is both suggestive and enduring. This section explores how these visual elements contribute to the film’s atmosphere, mood, and the overarching love story at its core.

Editing

Elongated close up. Editing in Casablanca improved the pace of the story being told. For example, the poker scene where rick gives money for a couple to get a visa. Those shots were taken as snippets. It was only short shots but the audience could go along with it because every characters face that was in the shot captured an emotion which made it much easier to follow.

Sound

As for the music, in the documentary someone said “take the music out, you couldn’t watch” which is true if you took out the music the only thing you would have to go off of is the acting (though the acting is amazing its not enough). The composition in Casablanca was beautifully executed by Max Steiner. For example, it was shown that dark and harsh music was used for the Nazis whenever they walked in somewhere.

Max Stiener

Aesthetics

Hero’s would wear light clothing. they would be well dressed which doesn’t make sense as they are refugees but the director didn’t want any wrinkles in their clothes.

Casablanca was a made up fantasy place. But also a continent in Morocco but they look nothing alike. Casablanca is this place with tall buildings but in the movie it was a romantic place where love was seen everywhere. ( even in the middle of the war.) It was made to look theatrical.

Producer- Oversee what goes on in the production

producer is Hall B. Wallace. he managed to negotiate a contract to get the last say in everything. So he put the team together, wrote the screenplay and made some changes. Like Isla was meant to be America but Wallace saw that if you make it some who has experience in the war that has had Lazso’s back always so he decided to make her of a different nationality (she’s Swedish) and this would also be a sympathetic point as she has experience. seen as propaganda. it talks about Americas involvement in ww2 should be like Ricks as he re-joined the fight.

34 different nationalities were in the movie Casablanca in a way the film its all these people come over from all around the world to support each other which happens in Casablanca as well.

Themes and Issues-

Isolationism- a policy of remaining apart from the affairs or interests of other groups, especially the political affairs of other countries.

What was Americas view on World War II?

At the start of world war 2 Americans don’t want to get involved, they thought it was a phony war in Europe. Rick Blaine represents the United States, which initially insisted that it should be neutral in World War II. However, when the United States was bombed at Pearl Harbour, it had no choice but to get involved. He is tough and cynical, yet altruistic. At first Rick maintains an isolationist and neutral stance “I stick my neck out for nobody” then shifts to self-sacrificing and willingness to join the war effort with allied forces. “This is the beginning of a beautiful friendship”. An example of this is when they help that couple get a visa in his poker game and when he helps Laszo and Isla flee by killing the most powerful Nazi in the movie.

Representation

Every time it goes dark and Rick and Ingrid was in the scene is showed intimacy. Rick Blaine represents the United States, which initially insisted that it should be neutral in World War II. However, when the United States was bombed at Pearl Harbour, it had no choice but to get involved.

Political and Social Context

At the time the movie had come out they American’s rushed into America to start their attack so people began to think that they wouldn’t have a country after said attack.

produced by pal Wallace

Ingrid Bergman(Ilsa Lund) Due to her being from Sweden, Casablanca was one of her first American films, she was chosen because of her accent since it fir her character the most. She stared in other movies such as gaslight and Notorious however she became famous from Casablanca.

Claude Rains(Captain Louis Renault) He was chosen to play in Casablanca mainly because he was already well known in the industry for his incredible acting. He was in other movies such as ‘Notorius’ as Alexander. Rains signed a long-term contract with Warner Bros. on 27 November 1935, with Warner able to exercise the right to loan him to other studios.

Conrad Veidt (Major Heinrich Strasser) He was already successful in other film industry before Casablanca, he was in movies The Man Who Laughs (1928) and  Different from the Others (1919). He was in the movie Casablanca due to hiss background (German) and along with his accent which made him sound and look more authentic.

Sydney Greenstreet (Signor Ferrari) Sydney Greenstreet was a British and American actor who didnt start acting until he was 61, however he had a run of significant motion pictures in a Hollywood career.  He was know for the movies – The Maltese Falcon (1941), Casablanca (1942), and Passage to Marseille (1944) which were all by Warner bros meaning that Sydney Greenstreet had close relations to Warner bros.

Peter Lorre (Ugarte) He was a Hungarian who had to flea from his country due to the fact he was Jewish, this is where he started making English movies like  The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934),He eventually made it to Hollywood where he started working for Warner Bros in films such as Mad Love (1935) and My Favorite Brunette (1947).

S.Z. Sakall (Carl (as S.K. Sakall)) His first prominent role was In Casablanca as Carl which led to him being in other movies such as  Christmas in Connecticut (1945) and  In the Good Old Summertime (1949). He was loved by  magnate Jack L. Warner because opf his round and lovable appearance which led to his contract with warner bros.

Madeleine Lebeau (Yvonne (as Madeleine LeBeau)) Before marrying her actor husband Marcel Dalio in 1939 she was in the movie Young Girls in Trouble as a uncredited student. After alort of difficulty getting to the USA she ended up in Hollywood with her first movie  Hold Back the Dawn (1941) and in the following year she appeared in the Errol Flynn movie Gentleman Jim. Warner Bros. signed her to a $100-a-week contract for twenty-six weeks to be in a number of films and the contract ended shorty before the movie release

Dooley Wilson (Sam) he was an American actor, singer and was a musician in his own band in the 1920s, touring nightclubs in London and Paris. In the1930s he took up acting, playing supporting roles onstage on Broadway however his most prominent role was in Casablanca. He was contracted for Paramount however he was lent over to Warner Bros for seven weeks.

Joy Page (Annina Brandel) Her first movie was Casablanca when she was 17 despite her thinking the movie was old fashioned. Warner Bros studios didn’t sign her to a contract and she never appeared in another Warner Bros movie again. Instead she was in other movies like Kismet in 1944 and shorty retired after the first season of Disney’s miniseries The Swamp Fox in 1959.

John Qualen (Berger) He began working with warner bros in 1927 for the film Lights of New York. He was in many different movies but his most known are angels over Broadway, an American romance and Hollow Triumph

Mise En Scene

Locations

Casablanca, despite being set in Morocco, was filmed in two regions- The Warner Bros lot in Burbank and for the airport scenes they filmed in the Metropolitan Airport at Van Nuys

Sets

The old Hollywood style mean that the sets had to look realistic which Casablanca managed to do well. The sets had to give of and exotic and tense atmosphere to mimic the world war II feel. All the sets were either made by warner bros to achieve the romantic appearance of the movie, however some sets e.g. the train station were taken from other movies and re designed to fit with the Casablanca aesthetic.

Costume

The costumes in Casablanca helped distinguish all the different nationalities in the city which was a big part of the historical context of World War II. All the costumes where elegant and helped represent the power level of each character, for example Heinrich Strasser was always in a formal suit which showed he was in charge of the German soldiers. The women in the movie also all looked put together which showed how they were more for appearance other than wealth or power.

Props

props are used in Casablanca to not only add to how the characters feel or some characters wealth/ power, but also as a tool to showcase the time period and the opinions of the war, for example when the Vichy France bottle was thrown in the bin it showed how the character Captain Renault was no longer supporting the Germans.

Editing

During the old Hollywood time period, Invisible editing was common which meant that the editing would go unnoticed and wasn’t prominent this adds to the verisimilitude. This would also mean that there would be no sudden cuts/ jump cuts ands everything would feel smooth and natural

A good example of this is when Rick was helping the couple leave Casablanca and make it to America, in this sequence of different cuts you can see the expressions on everyone’s face which helps us as the audience feel touched by Ricks actions. You can also see the zoom in on the poker chips which add to the scene since the audience feels more involved and understanding of it.

( close up image )

Sound

There is a sound motif for the character Isla and Rick, this song is called ‘as time goes by’ and is representative of her and Ricks relationship. It is most prominent i the train station scene where Rick discovers that Isla is not following him, this leads the song to have more backstory and touch the audience. This song was composed by Max Steiner, also famous for the music in King Kong.

There’s also a large use of Diegetic sounds, i the same train scene you can hear the rain which added to the already gloomy atmosphere. There’s also a use of diegetic sound when the doors of Ricks bar slam open when the police enter, this adds shock and fear to the already dramatic scene.

Representation

Black people – The only non white person in Casablanca was Sam an African American musician for Rick. However, Sam is displayed as a stereotypical form of entertainment for white people and is seen as property, this is shown when someone offers to buy Sam from Rick which shows how little Sam is valued as a person. During World war II black people were already a target and this movie simply added to it.

Women – There aren’t many female characters in the movie other than Isla , Yvonne and Annina Brandel. All of these women are always seen looking well put together and beautiful, this is because women at the time were seen as an accessory to the men they were with. Annina Brandel is a good example of this because although she was a poor woman who was newly wed and needed help with money from rick to escape, she still managed to look expensive and like she wasn’t struggling. All these women had a relation ship with a man and felt almost dependent on them. Specifically Isla who’s entire role in the movie was to chose which man she wanted to depend on the most.

Men – There were alot of men in Casablanca. Despite alot of these men being from different backgrounds and having a different level of power, they all looked and acted superior and much more wealthy than they were. All of the men were seen in suits or they’re uniform which showed how they could afford to live comfortable despite the war happening. The only characters that had any authority the whole movie where white men which included : rick and Heinrich Strasser.

Aesthetics in Casablanca

Themes and issues

isolationism –  World War II was a dispute between foreign nations and that the United States had no good reason to get involved

What was Americas view on ww2 – America believed that it shouldn’t get involved since they didn’t want anymore young American men to die in war unless absolutely necessary (Pearl harbour) 96% of Americans don’t want to get involved and would rather stay neutral

The character of rick in Casablanca is a cynical at the start of of the movie and represents the 96% of Americans who chose to stay out of the war, this is shown by the fact he doesn’t lean much either way politically and just wants money. However after he helps the couple with the visa out of Europe he start to become a sentimentalist and patriotic.

Historical and Social context for Casablanca

the allies – UK, USA AND USSR

The axis – Germany, Japan, Italy

France was occupied by Germany in June of 1940 and surrendered to the Nazis. The Free French still fought for the allies, this was in southern France which was renamed Vichy France because of the new capital. The new government was a German puppet.

Morocco is part of the French empire which is where Casablanca was set

World war 2 started in September 1st 1939, however America didn’t join until 1941 after the surprise attack from japan on pearl harbour

Operation Torch – The invasion Allowed the British to take control of north Africa while allowing the American forces to start their fight with Nazi Germany. (November 8, 1942)

‘it captured the zeitgeist’ – Uses the mood / feelings of a specific point in history, (ww2 for Casablanca)

Casablanca Conference -When Whiston Churchill and President Roosevelt had a meeting in Casablanca about the allied powers and plans on how to fight against the axis. (Jan 14, 1943 – Jan 24, 1943)

The first screening of Casablanca was 26 November, 1942 was in New York, it goes on general release in January 1943

People used to get their news from newspaper, movie reels and the radio

Humphrey Bogart- Rick Blaine

before Casablanca he specialised in gangster movies. a leading man. He not had worked with Warner brothers as a leading man before, and never as a a romantic lead. He was ‘recognised as being a character actor’ and ‘being tough without a gun’. Which is a large difference from his previous roles. He had been mainly convicts and gangsters and other gritty roles, so this role was a large switch for him. He was on contract with Warner Brothers. Ronald Raegan was originally considered for this role.

Ingrid Bergman- Ilsa Lund

it wasn’t a decision from the start to have a foreign female lead. She was cast to be a more exotic pick other than being attractive. She had previous acting credits on screen and on stage. Casablanca was an early one of her American films. Americans typically like European accents.

Paul Henreid- Victor Lazlo

Austrian American actor, director, producer and writer. He was in films like ‘Night Train to Munich'(1940) and ‘Now, Voyager'(1942)

Claude Rains- Captain Louis Renult

British American actor. Worked for 65 years as an actor. He was in films like ‘The invisible Man'(1933) and ‘Phantom of the Opera'(1943). Won the ‘best actor in a play’ Tony award in 1951 for ‘Darkness at Noon’.

Sydney Greenstreet- Signor Ferrari

British American actor. He was in film like ‘The Maltese Falcon'(1941) and ‘Passage to Marseille'(1944). Started his acting career in a 1902 production of Sherlock Holmes.

Peter Lorre- Ugarte

Hungarian American actor. He was in films like ‘The Man Who Knew Too Much'(1934) and ‘M'(1934). He was originally an active actor in Europe before moving to America.

S.Z. Sakall- Carl

Hungarian American actor. He was in films like ‘Christmas in Connecticut'(1945) and ‘Lullaby of Broadway'(1951).

Dooley Wilson- Sam

American actor. He is in films like ‘My Favourite Blonde'(1942) and ‘Stormy Weather'(1943). Began performing at 7 years old, in churches.

Madeline Lebeau- Yvonne

French actress. She was in films like ‘Hold Back the Dawn'(1941) and ‘Gentleman Jim'(1942). She lived Paris until she fled in 1940 because of the German invasion.

Joy Page- Annina Brandel

American actress. She was in films like ‘Kismet'(1944) and the first season of ‘The Swamp Fox'(1959)

John Qualen- Berger

American actor. He was in films like ‘The Grapes of Wrath'(1940) and ‘His Girl Friday'(1940). He also appeared in plays such as ‘Street Scene’ and ‘Arrowsmith’

Michael Curtiz- director

Hungarian. works on 173 films for WB over 40 years. HE has knowledge on what it is like leaving Europe. His job is making sure everyone in on top of their game. His use of camera movement was impressive in the film. His use of dolly shots broke away from the norm, making the scenes look like a dance, having both the camera and the actors moving. Most of the extras he cast where refugees/immigrants in real life as well as on stage. this is so they have the actual experience of leaving their country and feeling before, so they are able to portray these same feelings on screen. Their passion comes through in the scene where the patrons all sing the French National Anthem. 34 different nationalities are represented in front and behind the camera. the film is a studio’ed film, so there is contracted stars in this.

The script for the play Casablanca is based on ‘Everybody Comes to Rick’s’ arrives at WB the day after Pearl Harbour (the Japanese bombed the American fleet in Hawaii. an unprovoked attack).

Warner brothers was known as the Gangster studio in its early days.

The producer is the one who oversees all of the behind the scenes aspects of production. Hal Wallace was the Producer on Casablanca. Mainly the producer will be the one to get the team of writers together and secure the rights for the script. They may also make changes to the script (i.e. making the female lead non-American), they will often do this to suit their message better (make her more sympathetic to American audiences so they feel sympathetic towards Europeans.)

Mise-en-Scene in Casablanca

The lighting in Casablanca is used to create mood. Without colour, it only has blacks, whites and greys to work with. The lighting plays a key role in this, As darker colours can be used to represent intimacy, such as when Rick and Ilsa are dancing. In this scene, they are lit from behind and a shadow is cast over their faces, only showing the prominent details of their faces. As well as this, the costuming plays another large role in Casablanca. The characters the audience is meant to be sympathetic with and root for are in pale colours, usually white, the colours associated with good. While the characters we are meant to be against are all in darker colours, usually black, this again references the common trope of the bad characters wearing black. the props that where used for Casablanca

Editing in Casablanca

The editing that was used in Casablanca was the popular style of editing at the time, Invisible editing. This style was used so the audience could stay invested in the Film. It makes sure that the continuity of the movie is straight forward, going from start to middle to end.

Sound in Casablanca

there is a repeated sound motif with the use of the song as time goes by, and the section that Ilsa hums. It is put into a lot of the score.

Aesthetics in Casablanca

The locations where all purpose built for Casablanca. They where made based off of a few photos that had been taken years earlier, since it was mid war, they couldn’t fly over as they pleased. So the film takes on an idealistic view of Casablanca.

Themes and issues:

isolationism – the choice to remain apart from interests of other countries political affairs.

what was Americas view on world war 2 – they where unsure on if they should get involved in a European war. This links to rick because he didn’t want to get into the war until it concerned him, then he began to help. at the start of ww2, 96% of Americans didn’t want to get involved with the phoney war in Europe.

Rick is an isolationist/cynical character, but by the end he has helped people and became a sentimentalist and much more patriotic.

Representation in Casablanca

women- women are portrayed to be weak and emotional in the movie. they are also used as plot devices to forward the male characters. While Ilsa is a central character, she is used as Rick’s love interest to make him look better. they are treated like things to be protected.

men- they are shown as very dominant, because of how they are all in the roles of power. Rick is the one running the place. they are shown as violent.

authority figures- they are all men. there are no women in positions of power in this, reinforcing the idea of the time that women cannot be in positions of power.

people of colour- the only POC that is predominantly featured in Casablanca is Sam. he is shown in as a positive character. He has always been playing music for Rick, following him from place to place.

Americans- they are shown in a savior type role. the movie is very patriotic and rick is shown as a hero by having him let Ilsa escape with her husband.

Europeans- Europeans are shown in a positive light, as they all rise to sing La Marseillaise. This is a representation of hope from the occupation of Germans.

Political and Social Contexts in Casablanca

Allies – Great Britain, USA, USSR

Axis – Germany, Italy, Japan

France- Originally an allied power but surrendered to Germany. Some soldiers and generals want to fight on, (free French – allies) Vichy France is a territory and it has its own government, basically just the Germans. Vichy France controls Casablanca (not the film)

Casablanca is in Morocco, it is part of French territory.

“it captures the zeitgeist”: Zeitgeist – the defining spirit or mood of a particular period of history (shown by the ideas and beliefs of the time)

the war starts in 1939, America joins in 1941 because Japan bombed Pearl Harbour

Operation Torch – an allied invasion of French North Africa in the second world war (November 1942)

Casablanca has its world Premiere on November 26 1942 in New York. goes on General release in January 1943.

Casablanca Conference – a meeting between President Roosevelt and Prime Minister Churchill in Casablanca. It most notably finalised the plans for a policy of an ‘Unconditional surrender’ (January 1943)

In the Cinema they would have movie reels, like in news. They learn about the war through these reels and through the radio and news papers.

Serendipity – luck or chance.

cast

Humphrey Bogart: Rick Blaine, born in New York.

His breakout role was in High Sierra (1941) as Roy Earle. Bogart was known to have played gangsters, starting out in Broadway productions, this could’ve influenced his casting as the film was originally a stage play – Casablanca solidified his presence in Hollywood, making him an icon to this day. “Tough without a gun” he was described. Worked with Warner Bros in the past, they were working him up to be a romantic lead, he was also on a contract with Warner Bros, they wrote the film with Humphrey in mind. This studio was known as the gangster studio, their style consisted of gritty dramas and mysteries, which is why Bogart was chosen to play Rick Blaine (also due to type-casting).

Ingrid Bergman: Ilsa Lund, born in Sweden

Ingrid began her career in Swedish and German films, that was until the English remake of Intermezzo in 1939, she continued her acting career in American films, one of them being Casablanca in 1942 which cemented her as one of Hollywood’s greatest.

Paul Henreid: Victor Laszlo, born in Italy

In 1933, Paul made his acting debut at the Reinhardt Theatre in “Faust”. He had several leading roles on stage, starring in various Austrian films before his role in Casablanca – however, unlike most this movie came as a curse rather than a blessing for Henreid, he attempted to try and play more villainous characters in order to break away from the romantic lead typecast.

Claude Rains: Captain Louis Renault, England

Claude made his sensational film debut in the 1933 horror film “The Invisible Man”, he had been in the acting business since he was 11, mainly doing backstage work until 1911. Casablanca was a huge success for Rains as he received 4 Oscar nominations.

Conrad Veidt: Major Heinrich Strasser, Germany

In 1920, Veidt achieved long lasting stardom with his role of the sleepwalking murderer in “The Cabinet of Dr Caligari”, continuing to work with directors such as F.W Murnau and Robert Wiene. He was the highest paid member of the Casablanca cast.

Sydney Greenstreet: Signor Ferrari, England

He debuted in “The Fat Man” in 1941 as Kasper Gutman, as well as co-starring with Humphrey Bogart in “The Maltese Falcon” 1941.

Peter Lorre: Ugarte, Slovakia

He began his stage career in Vienna, going by his birth name  László Löwenstein until 1922 when he changed it to Peter Lorre, later moving onto films in Berlin until he left Germany once Hitler came into power, Lorre was Jewish.

S.Z Sakall: Carl, Hungary

Despite being in the industry since 1916, his most memorable role was as the waiter in Casablanca. Throughout his career he has been cast as generally bubbly characters due to his rotund body type, Hollywood deemed that as “cute”.

Madeleine Lebeau: Yvonne, France

Her acting career was active from 1939-1970, had an uncredited role in her first film called “Young Girls in Trouble” – 1939, June 1940 she fled from France to avoid the German invasion and into Lisbon, much like the refugees in Casablanca.

Dooley Wilson: Sam, Texas

Joy Page: Annina Brandel, California

Jon Qualen: Berger, Canada

Michael Curtiz: Hungarian, Director of Casablanca

Nationalised American, made 173 films for Warner Bros. Made sure everyone was at the top of their game, all extras were immigrants of the war, Curtiz understood, had empathy, knowing hat it was like to flee your own country. Pioneered the dolly, using it to highlight emotions, such as hesitation, broke away from the usage of fixed cameras in Hollywood – choreographing the camera and actors.

H.B Wallis: American, producer.

H.B. Wallis was the producer, his role was to oversee all aspects of production, claiming rights, puts together the production team and has the final say on everything e.g. script and casting.

Mise-en-scene in Casablanca

Objects such as exotic plants to give the spectator the , Moroccan panels to give the feeling of a prison. artificial sets, escapism and romance. It was not shot on location, it was all filmed in Burbank, California at the Warner Bros. Studios – however the finale was shot in a Los Angeles airport.

Editing in Casablanca

Casablanca adheres to the invisible editing style of golden age Hollywood, allowing the spectator to become immersed into the story instead of being consciously aware that they’re watching a film.

06:45 introduction to Rick’s Café Americain, meeting Rick for first time and getting to know the setting

Sound in Casablanca

Max Steiner composed the music. As time goes by was nearly cut from the film entirely, thanks to Bergman it wasn’t, ended being the theme and produced into different variations and keys, became a motif.

Aesthetics in Casablanca

The film noir style creates an artificial world , which in most cases would not be a strength, however, at this time people didn’t want to be in their reality considering that the world in the 1940s wasn’t a pleasant one.

Even though the film is in black and white, light and shadows have been utilised to create an atmosphere; venetian blinds casting shadows across Rick’s face, each time there was an intriguing or intimate moment the tone got darker – characters hidden in the shadows.

Themes and Issues

Isolationism: the policy of remaining apart from the affairs or interests of other groups – this relates to Rick’s character as in the beginning he doesn’t pick a side (allies or axis forces). He is a cynic to begin with, but by the end he becomes a sentimentalist, sacrificing his own selfish whims for Ilsa and her husband, also there’s a message of patriotism, best shown with Victor’s line, “Welcome back to the fight.”

What was America’s view on WW2? 96% of Americans opposed the idea of declaring war against the Axis powers in Europe. They used a Gallop poll. They wished to remain neutral on the matter.

Representations featured in Casablanca

Women – Drastically less females in the cast, however they do go hand-in-hand with the men, especially Ilsa as she is the driving force for Rick’s actions and personality. Mainly consisting of background roles or lovers.

Men – Abundant male cast, they all carry the narrative of the film. All authority figures are men, reflecting the gender roles of the 1940s.

Authority Figures – They’re all men, mostly army men, white, policemen.

People of Colour – Sam plays a large part in Casablanca as a pianist and singer in Rick’s café, being a close friend of Rick’s back in Paris however he is easily disposed of when Rick goes leave Casablanca.

Americans – There’s only two Americans, Sam and Rick,

Europeans – 34 different nationalities across the cast and production team. Given that there’s only two Americans in the cast, the numerous Europeans is a direct reflection of those fleeing European countries due to German occupation, amongst other things, at that time.

Political and social contexts in Casablanca

Allies: Great Britain, U.S.A, U.S.S.R (now Russia)

Axis powers: Germany, Japan, and Italy.

WW2 began in 1939, however America didn’t join until 1941 – this was due to the Pearl Harbour attack on December 7th, the script for Casablanca was sent out the day after. Whilst filming was being wrapped up, Casablanca was being invaded by American troops (Operation Torch).

France:

They’re invaded and defeated early on into the war, however the Free French continued to fight for the allied countries , they were French soldiers and generals. Vichy, France is a territory, about half of France, had its own government however they were controlled by German forces. Vichy controls Casablanca, Morocco (Morocco is part of French territory).

Operation Torch

“Captured the zeitgeist” of patriotism.

zeitgeist: a defining spirit or mood of a period in time.

From November 8th-16th 1942, Operation Torch was a compromise operation that met the British objective of securing victory in North Africa while allowing American armed forces the opportunity to begin their fight against Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy on a limited scale.

Casablanca Conference

January 14th-24th 1943, held with American president, Roosevelt and British Prime Minister, Churchill. They focused on coordinating Allied military strategy against the Axis powers over the course of the coming year. On the final day of the conference, President Roosevelt announced that he and Churchill had decided that the only way to ensure post-war peace was to adopt a policy of unconditional surrender.

The first Casablanca screening was November 26th, 1942 in New York City. Released nationally throughout the U.S.A on January 23th, 1943.

• In a pre-internet age, Americans found out their information about the world through films (movie reels) essentially a newscast, which is how they learnt about the war. Other, less impactful sources, were newspapers and radio broadcasts.

• serendipity: coincidence, by chance.

List of Key Actors

Humphrey Bogart – Rick Blaine. Was typically cast in gangster movies, mainly as the villain, was described as someone who was ‘tough without a gun’. Before Casablanca, he hadn’t been cast as a romantic lead. Producer Hal B. Wallis put his foot down and said the film and the role of Rick Blaine was made for Bogart. Was the first film in which he played a character who’s shows their emotions as well as their toughness.

Ingrid Bergman – Ilsa Lund. Hadn’t been in any American films before Casablanca, and wasn’t first choice for the role. Was a fresh face on the Hollywood scene. Was seen as a more exotic person to play the role, due to her beauty and her accent, which was mostly a key decision for casting her, as Americans stereotypically do like foreign accents.

Paul Henreid – Victor Laszlo. Originally born in Treiste, part of the Austro-Hungarian empire at the time, Henreid relocated to America (more specifically New York City) in 1940. His first film for RKO was ‘Joan of Paris’ in 1942 in which he played a Royal Air Force pilot trying to escape occupied France. The film was a big success, and may be the reason why Paul Henreid enjoyed being in war pieces whilst in America. He moved to Warner Bros. in 1942 and his first role with them was as Jeremiah Durrance in the romance ‘Now, Voyager’ and then after that he was cast in probably his most well-known role of Victor Laszlo in ‘Casablanca’. The film was a huge hit and is considered one of the best American films in history.

Peter Lorre – Ugarte. Originally born in Hungary, moved to Hollywood in 1935. Originally, was under contract at Columbia Pictures where they struggled to find roles that would fit him. After months of research, Lorre thought Crime and Punishment by Dostoevsky would be a good film in which he could take the main part. Columbia agreed to do it as long as after he went to MGM, as they had lost a lot of money through him not appearing in any of their films. His next film for MGM was ‘Mad Love’, in which he played the role of a demented surgeon, Dr Gogol. He received critical acclaim for his role in this film. After this he went on to do films for 20th Century Fox, the Mr Moto films, a series of Japanese spy films. He then broke his contract with Fox after they promised him the roles of the Hunchback of Notre Dame and Napoleon in films they never shot. He then signed for Warner Bros. and was cast in ‘Maltese Falcon’ and, obviously, ‘Casablanca’.

Claude Rains – Captain Louis. Orignally born in London, he came from a lower class background and was said to have a speech impediment. In 1932, his screen test for ‘A Bill of Divorcement’ for RKO was a failure, but it is what led to him landing the title role of James Whale’s ‘The Invisible Man’ in 1933, which was a very well received film. In 1935, he signed a long-term contract with Warner Bros. worth 750,000 dollars over seven years. He played a villainous role of Prince John in ‘The Adventures of Robin Hood’ (1938). His other famous roles feature Dr. Alexander Tower, who commits murder-suicide in order to spare his daughter from a life of insanity in ‘Kings Row’ (1942), and whilst on loan at Universal he featured as the title character in their remake of ‘Phantom of the Opera’ (1943). He featured in a lot of Curtiz’s films, crediting the director with teaching the more understated requirements of film acting, or ‘what not to do in front of a camera’. For Curtiz, he appeared in such films as the previously mentioned ‘The Adventures of Robin Hood’ (1938), ‘Gold is Where You Find It’ (1938) and, obviously ‘Casablanca’ (1942).

Sydney Greenstreet – Signor Ferrari. Born in Eastry,Kent in 1879 ,he begun his stage career in 1902 in a production of Sherlock Holmes. Over the years he had many acting gigs, such as touring Britain with Ben Greet’s Shakespearean company, and in 1905 made his New York City debut in ‘Everyman’, but refused appear in films until he was 61, when he then began working for Warner Bros., with his debut role being Kasper Gutman co-starring alongside Humphrey Bogart in ‘The Maltese Falcon’. He then played the crooked club owner Signor Ferrari in ‘Casablanca’, where he earned a salary of 3,750$ a week for seven weeks’ work. He is also known for appearing in ‘Backgroud to Danger’ (1943) with George Raft and reuniting with fellow ‘Casablanca’ co-stars, Humphrey Bogart, Peter Lorre and Claude Rains in ‘The Mask of Dimitros’ (1944).

Madeleine Lebeau – Yvonne. Lebeau married actor Marcel Dalio in 1939; it was his second marriage. They had met while performing a play together. She had already appeared in her first film, an uncredited role as a student in the melodrama Young Girls in Trouble (1939). In June 1940, Lebeau and Dalio, who was Jewish, fled Paris ahead of the invading German Army and reached Lisbon. They are presumed to have received transit visas from Aristides de Sousa Mendes, allowing them to enter Spain and journey on to Portugal. It took them two months to obtain visas to Chile. However, the Chilean passports they had acquired turned out to be fakes, leaving them and 200 others stranded upon the S. S. Quanza. Eventually, they acquired Canadian passports and entered the United States, where Lebeau made he Hollywood debut in ‘Hold Back the Dawn’ (1941). Later that year, she was cast in the role of Yvonne in ‘Casablanca’, where Warner Bros. signed to a $100-a-week contract for twenty-six weeks to be in a number of films. On 22 June, while she was filming her scenes in ‘Casablanca’, her husband, Marcel Dalio, who played Emil the croupier in the same film, filed for divorce in Los Angeles on the ground of desertion. They divorced in 1942. Shortly before the release of the film, Warner Bros. terminated her contract.

Joy Page – Annina Brandel. Page was the daughter of Mexican-American silent film star Don Alvarado and Ann Boyar, the daughter of Russian Jewish immigrants. Her parents divorced when she was eight and in 1936 her mother married Jack L. Warner, then head of Warner Bros. studios. Warner did not encourage his stepdaughter’s interest in acting. Page, who initially thought the script to ‘Casablanca’ was “old fashioned” and “clichéd”, landed the role of Annina Brandel on her own and Warner reluctantly approved. She was only seventeen and fresh out of high school. Page, along with Dooley Wilson and Humphrey Bogart, were the only American-born feature actors in the film. Warner, however, refused to sign Page to a contract, and she never appeared in another Warner Bros. film. She went on to act in a number of films for other studios, including a featured role in her next film, Kismet in 1944. 

Dooley Wilson – Sam. Arthur ‘Dooley’ Wilson was born in Tyler, Texas and at the age of seven, the same year his father died, he began to earn a living by performing in churches. By 1908, he was in Chicago in the repertory company of the Perkin Theatre, the first legitimate black theatre in the United States. He had earned the nickname ‘Dooley’ due to his performance of a song called, ‘Mr. Dooley’, in which he used whiteface. His breakthrough role came in 1940, with his portrayal of Little Joe in the Broadway musical Cabin in the Sky. This won him a contract with Paramount Pictures in Hollywood. He found himself playing Pullman porters while his stage role in the MGM film adaptation of Cabin in the Sky was played by Eddie “Rochester” Anderson. In May 1942, Warner Bros. were casting for their upcoming film ‘Casablanca’, and borrowed Sam from Paramount for seven weeks at $500 a week.

Conrad Veidt – Major Heinrich. Veidt was an actor who was most known for his roles in horror films, more specifically German Expressionist horror films, such as ‘The Cabinet of Dr. Calgari’ (1920). His starring role in ‘The Man Who Laughs’ (1928), as a disfigured young outcast servant whose face is cut into a permanent grin, provided the visual inspiration for the iconic Batman villain the Joker. Veidt starred in other silent horror films such as The Hands of Orlac (1924), also directed by Robert Wiene, The Student of Prague (1926) and Waxworks (1924), in which he played Ivan the Terrible. Veidt also appeared in Magnus Hirschfeld’s film Anders als die Andern (Different from the Others, 1919), one of the earliest films to sympathetically portray homosexuality, although the characters in it do not end up happily.He had a leading role in Germany’s first talking picture, Das Land ohne Frauen (Land Without Women, 1929). Veidt opposed the Nazi regime and when asked what his race was he declared ‘Jew’, even though he wasn’t a Jew but rather his wife was and he was saying it in solidarity with her.n By 1941, Veidt and his wife, Ilona, had settled in Hollywood to assist the British effort in making American films that might persuade the then-neutral and still isolationist United States to join the war against the Nazis. He starred in a few films, such as ‘A Woman’s Face’ (1941), and his most known is in this film of ‘Casablanca’, in which he plays General Strasser. Veidt noted it was an ironical twist of fate as he was praised for, in his words, ‘portraying the character who forced him to leave his homeland’.

John Qualen – Berger. Was an American character actor of Norwegian heritage who specialised in Scandinavian roles. Starting out as cookware salesman, Qualen made enough money to begin his acting career, in which he had his big break in Elmer Rice’s play ‘Street Scene’.His movie career began when he re-created the role two years later in the film adaptation of the stage production. That screen performance was followed by his appearance in John Ford’s Arrowsmith (1931), which began a more than 35-year membership in the director’s “stock company”, with supporting roles in The Searchers (1956), Two Rode Together (1961), The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962) and Cheyenne Autumn (1964).Appearing in well over one hundred films, and acting on television into the 1970s, Qualen performed many of his roles with various accents, usually Scandinavian, often intended for comic effect. Qualen assumed a Midwestern dialect as Muley, who recounts the destruction of his farm by the bank in Ford’s The Grapes of Wrath (1940), in a performance so powerful it reportedly reduced director Ford to tears; and as the confused killer Earl Williams in Howard Hawks’ classic comedy His Girl Friday (1940). As Berger, the jewelry-selling Norwegian resistance member in Michael Curtiz’ Casablanca (1942), he used a light Scandinavian accent, but put on a thicker Mediterranean accent as the homeward-bound fisherman Locota in William Wellman’s The High and the Mighty (1954).

S.Z Sakall – Carl. Born as Gero Jeno in Budapest to a Jewsh family, he turned to acting at the age of 18 due to not having the nicest life in Hungary and in 1946 he became an American citizen under the name of Jacob Gero. Sakall began a Hollywood career that included “an endless succession of excitable theatrical impresarios, lovable European uncles and befuddled shopkeepers”. His first American film role was in the comedy It’s a Date (1940) with Deanna Durbin. The first big hit of his American career was Ball of Fire (1941) with Gary Cooper and Barbara Stanwyck. Later, he signed a contract with Warner Bros., where he had a number of other small roles, including one in Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942) with James Cagney. Later the same year, at the age of 59, he portrayed his best remembered character, Carl the head waiter in Casablanca (1942). Producer Hal B. Wallis signed Sakall for the role three weeks after filming had begun. When he was first offered the part, Sakall hated it and turned it down. Sakall finally agreed to take the role provided they gave him four weeks of work. The two sides eventually agreed on three weeks. He received $1,750 per week for a total of $5,250. He actually had more screen time than either Peter Lorre or Sydney Greenstreet.

Director – Michael Curtiz. Makes a 173 films for Warner Bros. and makes a huge range of films. Has knowledge of leaving Europe, as he was a refugee from Hungary. Chose immigrants to act as the extras in the film, adding to the authenticity of the film. Over 34 nationaliys are represented in ‘Casablanca’. In teh scene where the people in the bar are singing the national anthem is made more authentic, due to the extra’s empathy. Broke away from the norm of Hollywood camera movement. Renowned for his use of dolly and making it moving around the characters, as they move around. Good example being the scene in which Rick flashes back to hid time with Ilsa in Paris.

Producer – Hal B. Wallis

Mise-en-scene in Casablanca

Locations/Settings

One good example of mise-en-scene in terms of location in ‘Casablanca’ is the setting of the actual city itself. The use of the light shining through the overhead grating, a typical technique of Film Noir, creates the imagery of prison bars for the audience, and conveys to them that most of these characters, unlike the main protagonists, will not get off of Casablanca and they will most likely be trapped here for years. Also, elements of the city itself, the bustling market stalls, the groups of foreign people, the dirt paths, help create this image of a so-called tropical paradise for the viewers, even though they will eventually learn that it is far from that and it is a place that people would rather leave than stay.

Another good example of mise-en-scene in terms of location is Rick’s bar, as a lot of the features of it, the lamps on the tables with the frilly bits on them, the exotic plants, the luxurious décor, all add to this idea that Casablanca is this tropical paradise that these people are willingly staying on, even though the audience knows that for most of the characters that is not true. It also conveys the Germans grip and jurisdiction on Casablanca become more present, as the exotic plants cast shadows onto the walls, which appear to look like fingers. The setting also is basis for ,in my opinion, the best scene in the film, where the Germans and the French refugees have a sing off with their respective national anthems, showing to the audience that the inhabitants of Casablanca will allow this place to also come under German rule.

Costumes

A good example of mise-en-scene in terms of costumes in Casablanca is Rick’s white suit, as it, once again, adds to this image of a exotic country. However, it also tells the audience information about the character of Rick, as the suit is quite expensive, so it tells the audience that Rick is a prosperous businessman and that his bar is thriving in Casablanca, even before it is even explicitly stated in the film. Also, the colour of white is associated with good so it visually places him on the side of good for the viewer, and also somewhat foreshadows that, as the film progresses, he will become a more morally ‘good’ character and will ‘join the fight’, as Laszlo says in the famous final scene.

Another good example of mise-en-scene in terms of costume is Ingrid Bergman’s character Ilsa Lund’s wardrobe throughout the film, which was done by costume designer, Orry-Kelly, an innovative and prolific costume designer in the world of Hollywood and although he didn’t win an academy award for his costumes in Casablanca, he did for three other films. The clothing worn by Ilsa Lund, simple day dresses and fitted suits, accessorized with hats, gloves, and brooches, gives the viewer and insight into the clothing of the 1940s, which was practical and utility-inspired, and adds to the realism of the film.

Props

A good example of a prop in terms of mise-en-scene in Casablanca is the ‘Letters of Transit’, who are provided to Rick by Peter Lorre’s character Ugarte. Throughout the film, they represent this theme of escapism from this ‘prison’ of Casablanca, which the vast majority of these characters seek throughout the film. It is also key for the plot, as it moves forward the event of Victor Laszlo and Ilsa Lund trying to escape from Casablanca.

Another good example of props in terms of mise-en-scene in Casablanca are the props within Rick’s cafe, such as the wicker chairs, the lamps with the frilly skirts round the outside, the exotic plants, as they, once again, add to this image that’s being painted in the mind of the viewer which is that Casablanca is a tropical paradise that the characters do not want to leave, even though they will learn soon that is not true. It also reinforces the idea that Rick’s bar is a form of escapism for these characters, especially those that have come America, as it has that kind of Las Vegas aesthetic.

Editing in Casablanca

Casablanca uses ‘invisible editing’, which is where the film’s editing does not bring any attention to itself, a key stylistic choice of most Hollywood films, as it adds to the immersiveness and versimilitude of it, whilst allowing the audience to feel more attached to the characters and, especially in this film, you feel like at some points you are witnessing the events through the eyes of the characters.

A sequence in the film that uses great editing is the sequence in which Rick helps out a couple trying to leave Casablanca by rigging the roulette wheel for them. The sequence cleverly builds tension by cutting between shots of Rick telling the young man where to bet his money, to the close-ups of the young man’s hands pushing towards the spot that Rick has told him, and to the close-ups of the roulette wheel landing on the number Rick has predicted. It also does close-ups of the spectator’s faces, showing the emotion’s they are experiencing, such as the wife’s mirth and the captain’s befuddlement. This builds tension and great excitement for the audience, as they most likely feel that something is going to happen to Rick due to his rigging of the roulette wheel. This is also the first time in the film that the audience sees Rick as this person that can care for others, rather than someone that just cares for himself.

Sound in Casablanca

Dialogue

The dialogue in Casablanca is extremely iconic, with a plethora of iconic lines, such as, ‘here’s to looking at you kid’, which Rick says to Ilsa throughout, specifically in the final scene, showing he still loves her and ‘you know, I think this gonna be the start of a beautiful freindship’, which is said by Rick to Captain Louis at the end of the film, about the topic of what they are to do now they’ve killed the German general. As well as it being iconic, it is also extremely funny and full of wit, an example being when Captain Louis says, ‘I am shocked to find out there is gambling going on in here’, after which he is then told, ‘Here are your winnings sir’, to which he replies with a ‘Thank you’, which I just find incredibly funny. And finally the dialogue, at times, is extremely heart-wrenching, especially Rick’s monologue to Ilsa in the final scene, in which he says ‘We’ll always have Paris’, which is extremely emotional, as they will probably never see each other again.

Soundtrack/Score

The soundtrack of Casablanca, which was composed by renowned film composer Max Steiner, who is known for his work on such films as ‘Citizen Kane’, ‘Maltese Falcon’ and ‘Gone With The Wind’, plays a huge role in the emotional impact that the film is trying to have upon the audience. A key example of this is the film’s iconic track, that Max Steiner didn’t actually compose and didn’t even want in the film, that being ‘As Time Goes By’, which was originally written by Herman Hupfed. It is heard numerous times throughout the film, thus making it a musical motif, representative of Rick and Ilsa’s time in Paris, and the love that they once shared. Max Steiner cleverly wrote into the score of other scenes to portray the feelings that Ilsa and Rick are showing towards one another. For example in the scene where Rick and Ilsa see each other again for the first time the theme is much darker, as it represents the drunken hate that I think Rick feels towards Ilsa at this time. When we get to the final scene the motif returns, but this time much more heart wrenching and emotional played on some very legato strings, to show that the two of them have realized that even though they have to leave one another, they do still love each other.

Aesthetics in Casablanca

Realism

The main way in which Realism is made for the viewer and audience is through the Classical Hollywood technique of ‘invisible editing’, which means that the editing is done so cleverly that the audience will not notice that it is there. The adds to the realism of the film, as it makes the audience feel like they are witnessing something that it is happening in real time before them and not something that is artificial and planned. Another element of the film that adds to its realism is the set design in the film, as the sets are so well designed that they feel like they are these real places in this portrayed tropical paradise.

Visual Style (Film Noir)

The obvious element of the film that adds to it’s film noir aesthetic is that is shot in black and white, as most films of that genre are shot in, but another element that adds to the films Film Noir aesthetic is its use of shadows and light, and having lights pass through blinds and shutters, which can be seen multiple times throughout the film. The use of this technique of using lighting and shadows usually is connoted with evil, such as the fake plants in Rick’s cafe, which look like protruding fingers or bars, portraying the imagery of the German/French powers keeping these people on Casablanca. The example of this that springs to mind for me is when the characters of Victor Laszlo and Carl are hiding from the German/French police of Casablanca, after they were found at this ‘secret meeting’, which is implied to be a meeting of the French Resistance, a French freedom fighters group that fought for the Allies during WWII.

Themes and Issues

Isolationism – what was America’s view on WWII and how can that been seen through the character of Rick ?

Isolationism – a policy of remaining apart from the affairs or interests of other groups, especially the political affairs of other countries

Rick turns from a cynic only caring about himself and his bar to being a more sentimental person, who actually cares about his actions affect others.

If Rick does represent America in ‘Casablanca’, then him only helping out the characters once his bar is closed down could perhaps be the director drawing parallels to America getting involved in the war only when one of their harbours is attacked.

At the start of WWII, 96% of Americans wished to stay neutral in what they thought was a ‘phony war in Europe’.

Representations in Casablanca

Women

In Casablanca, women are portrayed, as people who are manipulated by men, emotionally and physically, usually by the main protagonist of Rick, which adds to his character of someone who only cares for himself. The main examples of this within the film are Ilsa Lund, the main female protagonist who needs Rick for the ‘In Casablanca, women are portrayed, quite stereotypically, as always relying on a man within the film, usually the main protagonist of Rick. The main examples of this within the film are Ilsa Lund, the main female protagonist who needs Rick for the ‘Letters of Transit’, so that herself and her husband, Victor Laszlo can escape Casablanca. There is Yvonne, a drunk who clearly wishes to pursue a relationship with Rick, which he quickly rejects and there is the character of Anina Brandel, whos been manipulated by Captain Renault, but is then actually helped by Rick, which is the first time within the film that we see Rick as someone that cares about other people, not just himself.

Men

A lot of the men within Casablanca are presented as the stereotypical strong man, such as Rick and General Strausser. The staff of Rick’s bar are presented as very nice and caring people, shown through Carl talking to these German patrons of Casablanca, who are leaving for America. An interesting portrayal of man is Captain Renault, who even though, through the background information that he blackmails women sexually to give them transit papers, you expect to be a morally bad and sleazy portrayal of man, is actually throughout the film is a source of comic relief, and come the end of the film, he walks off with Rick into the fog, almost as a hero of the film, even though his actions are clearly not heroic.

People of Colour

There is only one person of colour within Casablanca, that being Sam, who is portrayed as this stereotypical black blues/jazz musician who would’ve been popular in America during this time period. His relationship with Rick is portrayed as being good, as he says he doesn’t even have time to spend all the money that Rick gives him, but at the same time is rather odd as I think Rick views their relationship as like they’re old buddies, where as I think Sam views they’re relationship as more business like.

Americans and Europeans

Americans and Europeans are represented in two distinct ways. On one hand you have the highly patriotic representation of characters such as the French citizens of Casablanca and the character of Victor Laszlo, whose intentionally patriotic representation was most likely done to sway the American public out of this Isolationist mindset. And then on the other hand, you have the portrayal of the Nazis, who throughout the film are seen as these borderline maniacal villains, who inhibit the progress of our protagonists actions and goals. This portrayal is to obviously install the belief that the Nazis were extremely evil into the audience watching.

Historical and Political context in Casablanca

Allied Powers – Great Britain, USA, USSR

Axis Powers – Germany, Japan, Italy

France

At the start of WWII, France was on the side of Great Britain. However, France was invaded early in to the war and were then occupied by Germany. A small part of the French population still fought on the Allied side under the title ‘The Free French’. Vichy France is a territory, about half of France, has its own government, who are basically puppets to the Germans. Vichy France is under control of Morocco, and more importantly, Casablanca.

Americans would learn about the war through radio, newspapers and films, which arguably are the most informative because they show whats happening through images and not words.

Pearl Harbour (Dec 7, 1941)

America joined WWII on the 7th of December 1941, as a result of Pearl Harbour, an unprovoked bombing on an American harbour in Hawaii by the Japanese.

Operation Torch (Nov 8, 1942 – Nov 16, 1942)

The film captured the zeitgeist (the defining spirit or mood of a particular period of history as shown by the ideas and beliefs of the time) of American Patriotism at the time of the war, which was a result of Operation Torch, which was when the Americans and the British planted their foothold in Occupied territory in, coincidentally, Morocco, Casablanca (North Africa).

‘Casablanca’ First Screening (Nov 26, 1942)

The first screening of Casablanca took place in New York City, November 26, 1942.

Casablanca Conference (Jan 14, 1943 – Jan 24, 1943)

The Casablanca Conference was a meeting between U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill in the city of Casablanca, Morocco that took place from January 14–24, 1943. While Soviet Premier Joseph Stalin received an invitation, he was unable to attend because the Red Army was engaged in a major offensive against the German Army at the time. The most notable developments at the Conference were the finalization of Allied strategic plans against the Axis powers in 1943, and the promulgation of the policy of “unconditional surrender.”

‘Casablanca’ General Release (January 23, 1943)

Casablanca was generally released to the public on January 23rd, 1943 and was extremely well received. It is now considered one of the greatest pieces of American film-making of all time.

CAST

Humphrey Bogart     Had previously played typical “villain” roles- featured in gangster and detective films such as “The Maltese Falcon” and “High Sierra” where he had to be cynical, selfish and distrustful. Had acted for Warner Brothers before- he was in contract with them- but he had never once played a romantic lead before. This made him perfect for Casablanca as he could play the cold part of Rick Blaine from experience but also brought a vulnerability to him. It also developed his screen persona further, as a tactic from Warner Brothers.		Rick Blaine
Ingrid Bergman     A foreign actress. Ingrid was Swedish and spoke with an accent. In the original script she was American, however, they changed it so that her role could be more interesting.. and ‘exotic’, which heavily appealed to the American demographic in an era where a lot of WW2 films were being made at Warner Brothers. She was 26 when she was casted, and was very beautiful. She then worked on films such as “Gaslight”, “Notorious” and “Spellbound”.		Ilsa Lund
Paul Henreid     Before Casablanca, Henreid was already famous for his films and his television work, some including “Dead Ringer”, “Deception” and “Hollow Triumph”. He even got awarded two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. However, after WW2, his contract with Warner Brothers was cancelled and he was left to his own devices. The Austrian-American moved on to directing and producing his own films.		Victor Laszlo
Claude Rains     Rains was a British and American actor whose career spanned almost seven decades, therefore he had already some experience before his role in Casablanca. Some of his prominent roles included Alexander Sebastian in “Notorious” and Erik in “Phantom of the Opera“. I think he was casted for his role in Casablanca as he had been famously known for his villainous portrayals and a reputation for an inability to do bad acting and a rich, trademark deep voice.		Captain Louis Renault
Conrad Veidt     Despite not being a main character, Veidt, who was a refugee German actor that fled the Nazis with his Jewish wife, was the highest paid actor of Casablanca. His other prominent roles included “The Man Who Laughs”, “The Thief of Bagdad” and “Dark Journey”. It was argued that he was cast in Casablanca for his background and accent that gave an “authentic touch”.		Major Heinrich Strasser
Sydney Greenstreet    A British and American actor, Greenstreet had previously featured in five films already with Humphrey Bogart, however his acting career only began when he was 61 with the film The Fat Man. He also featured in Passage to Marseille and The Maltese Falcon. And despite his late start, he had a great run of significant motion pictures in Hollywood career lasting through the 1940s.		Signor Ferrari
Peter Lorre     Peter Lorre was a Hungarian and American actor, active first in Europe and then in the US. He was known for his timid and devious character, and usually type casted for his accent as a sinister foreigner. His most famous role was international in the German classic film M (1931) directed by Fritz Lang. He was also in the infamous The Maltese Falcon and Passage to Marseille. So all around very iconic films. Lorre was contracted to Warner on a picture-by-picture basis until 1943 when he signed a five-year contract, renewable each year, which lasted until 1946.		Ugarte
S.Z. Sakall    Sakall was also a Hungarian-American actor. He appeared in Christmas in Connecticut, In the Good Old Summertime and Never Say Goodbye. He was infamously known by the nickname “Cuddles” for his rotund body shape and overall cuteness, coupled with his caring personality, which he usually got type casted for. Sakall played numerous supporting roles in ‘classic’ type Hollywood productions including musicals and other films of the 1940s and 1950s.		Carl (as S.K. Sakall)
Madeleine Lebeau    She was a French film actress who appeared in American films. She also appeared in The Parisian, The Royalists, The Country I Came From and Gunmen of the Rio Grande. She was signed up to the Warner Brothers studio due to connections to Dalio, who helped her make her way to California.		Yvonne (as Madeleine LeBeau)
Dooley Wilson    Arthur “Dooley” Wilson was an American actor, singer and musician. He was most known for his role in Casablanca, where he sung the famous song “As Time Goes By”, but he also appeared in other film roles including Stormy Weather, My Favourite Blonde and Cabin in the Sky. He also led his own band in the 1920’s where he toured London and Paris. In relation to the Warner Brother studios, he was borrowed from Paramount Pictures for seven weeks at $500 a week per the studio custom of the day. He received his contract salary, $350 per week, and Paramount kept the balance.		Sam
Joy Page   Joy Page was an American actress most known for her role in Casablanca. However, she also appeared in films such as Kismet and Bullfighter and the Lady. She was related to Warner Bros as after her parents separated, her mother married Jack L. Warner who was the head of the studios. This landed her her role in Casablanca.		Annina Brandel
John Qualen  Qualen was an American actor of Norwegian heritage who specialized in Scandinavian roles. Not many knew his name, although he did appear in films such as Angels over Broadway, Our Daily Bread and An American Romance. He began work at Warner Brothers in 1927 for the film Lights of New York where he earned $18,000.		Berger

Casablanca Documentary (Notes)

Michael Curtiz was a Hungarian refugee who left his home in Europe to come to America. He made 173 films for Warner Brothers and worked in that studio for over four decades, all while his films had a wide range and variety. He was named as “one of the greatest” of camera and character movement, especially for his work with the camera dolly and zooms, an example being the scene where Rick emotionally thinks of his past with Ilsa. Curtiz broke away from the typical Hollywood substyle of fixed cameras and was known to experiment.

The extras cast for Rick’s bar was special because the majority of them were truly immigrants/refugees themselves, cast by Curtiz as he could empathise with them. Entering Casablanca and playing characters who were trapped and waiting desperately for visas meant that the extras could relate so that their roles in the film felt genuine and passionate with true emotions. An example of this is when they sing the French national anthem in the bar. Also some of the main cast, such as Peter Lorre, were also foreign. In total 34 different nationalities were represented both in and off camera.

The script for the film was originally called “Everybody comes to Rick’s” and was a play. It was delivered to Warner Brothers the day after Pearl Harbour, the Japanese bombing of an American naval base where hundreds of Americans died.

The producer for the film was Hal B. Wallis. Despite working for the Warner Brothers, he had quite a lot of autonomy, so even when the studio rejected Bogart as the lead man, Wallis persisted that it would be him. He worked hard to make sure the film appealed, and empathised with an American audience.

Some people criticized that because of this, Casablanca could be considered American propaganda.

• Casablanca was the perfect example of the “old studio style.”
• The cast and crew was the best of the 1940s
• Warner Bros produced many WW2 films at the time
• Dialogue and ending was made on a daily basis. Frustrated the stars, however made for a better film in the end.

Mise En Scene in Casablanca

Locations

The production of Casablanca took place in two regions: the Warner Bros lot in Burbank and the Metropolitan Airport at Van Nuys near Burbank. However, the film takes place in Casablanca, Morocco.

The sets in Casablanca genuinely looked like sets, which was a good thing in the Old Hollywood style. The artificiality of it made for great theatre. The sets for Casablanca suggested an exotic and dangerous place filled with intrigue and romance.

The whole movie was filmed with a soundstage and a few other scenes on a Warner Brothers backlot.

Costumes

The costume designer in Casablanca was Orry-Kelly, an Australian-American Hollywood costume designer. The costumes give the film an extra gleam; it was glamorous as no costume had any wrinkles and every character had their own colour palette that they wouldn’t deviate from. The heroes are in soft colours (Bogart in his white tuxedo). While Ilsa often appears to be wearing quite lightly coloured elegant outfits that consist of skirts or dresses.

The props seen in Casablanca are all meaningful. They help exaggerate the characters feelings, add detail to the plot, and sometimes move forward a narrative. Some examples of props seen at Rick’s bar.

You can see fancy table lamps, exotic plants, expensive looking alcohol and even white table cloths. The purpose of this is to portray how exclusive and posh the bar is.

Casablanca is known for having an incredible pacing and also for managing to balance a variety of different tones within a sequence (such as tones of melodrama or comedy).

One sequence within the film that shows all the strengths of editing in Casablanca starts at the scene where Rick Blaine finds a way to help a young wife’s husband to win in roulette so that they’re able to buy their visas to leave.

Sound in Casablanca

Firstly, the score of Casablanca was composed by Viennese composer Max Steiner, who also famously composed King Kong (1933). His music is the glue that holds the film together- he provided the film with a theme and a backstory that was unforgettable. He masterfully wove the diegetic music and nondiegetic music of Casablanca into an evocative score that illuminates and connects the political and romantic conflicts in the film, an example being the infamous song “As Time Goes By” that Sam sung to Ilsa at the bar. Which also became a sound motif for the whole rest of the film. In particular the scene where Rick is waiting in the rain at the train station.

But also, in the course of the movie, different sounds are added to the scenes so the viewer has an idea of the feelings and emotions that the characters are experiencing. Sounds in Casablanca, like the rain and the voice tone are important. The sound of the rain in the film (diegetic sound), was added to scenes that presented sadness or agony.

Underscoring, in the first quarter of Casablanca, had a Arabic sounding-like melodic figures that could be heard (pentatonic scales and movement along chromatic intervals, enhanced in its cultural colour by instrumentation).

Casablanca is a film that invites its audience to think of its realism, with both the cinematography and the narrative. More specifically things like the set design and and staging make the film feel particularly real.

In terms of the tone of the film, it has a suspenseful feel to it throughout for its themes of surrounding WW2. It’s gritty, but at times it can also be comedic and there are the few romantic moments spread throughout that elevate the film to something beyond just the typical “war film”.

The visual style of Casablanca is film noir. This is a cinematic term used primarily to describe typical Hollywood crime dramas. These are marked with the tones of pessimism, fatalism and menace. Some elements of this style of film is stark lighting effects, frequent use of flashbacks, intricate plots and cynical heroes.

Themes and Issues

Isolationism– At the beginning of the war, America declared they would remain neutral, and there was even a poll that found that 88% of Americans opposed the idea of declaring a war against the Axis powers. They would be called isolationists- people who ultimately believed a dispute between united nations is useless. However, later, of course Pearl Harbour occurred and that led to America’s involvement.

This is all links back to the main character of Casablanca; Rick as an allegory for WW2. He goes from a cynical and cold-headed man who remains “neutral”, however by the end of the film he is no longer an isolationist but a man who involves himself in the war- a sentimentalist- that is also caring for things and more vulnerable to himself. He becomes a patriot.

Women

Ilsa Lund is an example of a woman portrayed in Casablanca. Typical for its timeframe (1942) she was the exact representation of what a woman “should” be. She was beautiful, brave and also witty and conveyed a certain “look” for the era; she conforms to traditional notions of femininity. She also plays the role of being the main romantic interest for both Rick and Laszlo, and this can be seen as the film presenting women as a sort of trophy to be competed for between men. But she is also fiercely loyal to her political cause, which portrays woman as strong and allowed to have their own ideologies.

Men

There are a lot more men with important roles in Casablanca than women. Additionally, the storyline of the film reflects many stereotypical male concerns: war, duty to country, and freedom. Even Rick himself is an allegory for WW2. So most of the men in this film are portrayed as leaders and decision makers. They are represented as strong and some, as heroes. However, Rick is also shown to be sophisticated, a gentleman, and this is a typical character type for its romantic genre, and shows the duality of masculinity.

People of Colour

The portrayal of non-white characters in Casablanca is limited and stereotypical. The only prominent and important POC character is Sam, a black African-American man who plays the piano at Rick’s establishment. However, Sam being the only black man of importance at Casablanca could reinforce harmful stereotypes and even offend many viewers. Additionally, the film’s themes of patriotism, war, and violence may draw negative responses from certain group’s in todays society due to its portrayal of race.

Americans

Casablanca, for Americans, is the “most patriotic film” ever made. It was a political allegory for WW2, and Rick as the main character represented America. As he said himself, “I don’t stick my neck out for nobody.” which represents his stance of America being neutral in the war, although it did eventually show that he began to cave in for underdog, just like America did in the actual war. Furthermore, academics say Casablanca was a ‘anti-fascist propaganda vehicle’ which was designed to support US participation in the Allied Forces’ struggle for global justice.

And in an challenging era for Americans who were enlisted in proper war efforts, this beloved film gave them hope for their own Hollywood ending.

Europeans

The biggest representation of Europeans in Casablanca are all the refugees awaiting at Rick’s to find escape to America- and even better, the extras that played their roles were refugees in real life too. This meant that proper emotion could be presented when they were acting, as they could truly emphasise. Also, their culture as Europeans is represented as being beautiful and strong, which can be seen in the scene where they all sing the French national anthem.

Political and Social Context in Casablanca

World War 2 took place from 1939 to 1945. The allies of the war were Britain, France and the USA. However, the axis powers (the force against) included Japan, Germany and Italy.

Vichy France is a territory. It was in the “Free Zone” in the South of France. It had its own government, but they were basically just a puppet of the Germans. Vichy France controls Casablanca, which is in Morocco. Morocco is apart of the French empire.  

The USA doesn’t join until December 7^th, 1941. They do so because of the mass bombing of American fleet at Pearl Harbour, an unprovoked attack by the Japanese.

Operation Torch was an Allied invasion of French North Africa during the Second World War. This included the invasion of French Morocco, which entailed transporting 35,000 U.S Army troops and 250 tanks in complete secrecy. This was on the 8th of November, 1942.

The Casablanca Conference was the January 1943 meeting between FDR (Franklin D. Roosevelt) and Churchill held in Casablanca in which they planned the Allied European strategy for the next phase of the World War. The two agreed to step up the Pacific war, invade Sicily, and insist on unconditional surrender.

“Captured the Zeitgeist” is a German phrase meaning the attitudes and ideas that are generally common at a time, especially the attitudes and ideas shown in literature, philosophy and politics. It means “The Spirit of Time”.

Casablanca had its first premiere on November 26, 1942, in New York City- which was a mere 18 days after Operation Torch- and was released nationally in the United States on January 23, 1943.

In the cinema they had “movie reels”, which was essentially like watching the news at home. This is where many Americans gathered their information about the war, as well as from newspapers. After watching Casablanca, Americans left with a feeling of serendipity.

Dir. Michael Curtiz – A Hungarian refugee, who had moved to America and became a director for Warner Brothers, where he made 173 films in his career. Knowing about being a European refugee, Curtiz casted refugees to play the majority of extras in Casablanca.

Cast members

Humphrey Bogart – plays Rick

Ingrid Bergman – plays Ilsa Lund

Paul Henreid – plays Victor Laszlo

Claude Rains – plays Captain Louis Renault

Conrad Veidt – plays Major Heinrich Strasser

Sydney Greenstreet – plays Signor Ferrari

Peter Lorre – plays Ugarte

S.Z. Sakall – plays Carl

Madeleine Lebeau – plays Yvonne

Dooley Wilson – plays Sam

Joy Page – plays Annina Brandel

John Qualen – plays Berger

Mise En Scene in Casablanca

• Excellent example of the Hollywood Studio System
• Slightly over the top as it was filmed on a backlot on the Warner Bros. studio – not really meant to represent the real Casablanca
• However, it suggests exoticness, just as some of the stars did
• Every element stands out – fringe on the lamps, large, exotic plants etc.

• Lighting contributes to cinematography
• Lighting helps to suggest emotions that the characters are feeling
• E.g. 1: Close ups on Ingrid Bergman suggests emotion
• E.g. 2: Darkness on Ilsa and Rick represents the intimacy between the two – lighting goes dark when they are dancing in Paris and infers that the two realised that they are in love with each other
• E.g. 3: Darkness before the flashback scene suggests Rick’s sadness

• Costume adds another layer to the mise-en-scene in Casablanca
• Each characters have a colour palatte
• There are no wrinkles or imperfections in any of the costumes, and many believe Bogart’s to be the most glamorous of all of his roles.
• Hats became a signature feature of the costumes in Casablanca – often seen on Bergman’s character Ilsa and is widely believed to be a suggestion to innocence.

Editing in Casablanca

• Quick – the film is 1h 30, but it goes by very quickly
• Pace is very effective – e.g., when Rick is helping the young couple to win money to buy an exit visa from Casablanca – helps to build tension between the characters
• E.g. When the young couple are trying to win money for an exit visa by playing roulette, the editing is fast and builds tension in the audience as they don’t know whether Rick is going to get caught rigging the game or not
• Therefore, this helps to suggest information about different characters
• For example, before the flashback to Paris, the camera tracks in on Rick’s face before pausing at around a medium close up, as if hesitating to remember Paris, before fulling tracking in to a close up to transition into the flashback

Sound in Casablanca

• La Marseillaise is sung by all of the customers at Rick’s – almost feels like a musical number within the narrative
• This is the French national anthem – feels very patriotic
• The characters do as well, evidenced by the emotional look on their faces

• Also acts as a competition between the Germans and everyone else – represents how despite some of France being occupied by the Germans, they knew that they would win the war
• Score composed by Max Steiner
• The music helps to reflect the characters
• E.g.: The music becomes dark and heavy when the Nazis arrive in Casablanca
• As Time Goes By was originally written for a Broadway show
• Steiner hated the song + almost got it re-filmed with a different one, but Ingrid Bergman had a different haircut
• Therefore, Steiner decided to make it a musical motif for the song and imbeds it in other aspects of the score

Aesthetics in Casablanca

• The general aesthetic of Casablanca can be considered hyperrealism due to it’s over-the-top style
• It had been filmed in a Warner Bros. backlot, and wasn’t meant to represent the real Casablanca
• Despite this, the film does have high Verisimilitude as while it wasn’t meant to represent the real Casablanca, it does feel like it could be a real place somewhere
• While there is a romantic undertone in the film, there is still the wartime backdrop, which gives it a tense tone because it is unpredictable.
• Casablanca, while not the typical genre of a film noir, is clearly filmed in black and white
• Therefore, the director had to work with the lack of colour to represent different character’s ideals, beliefs and overall style

Themes and issues:
Isolationism: The belief that the Second World War was ultimately a dispute between foreign nations and that the U.S. had no good reason to get involved.
What was the American’s view on the Second World War?
88% of Americans opposed the idea of declaring war against the Axis powers in Europe. FDR also declared that while the U.S. would remain neutral in law, he could not ask that every American would also remain neutral in thought.

Producer:
Hal B. Wallis was the producer of Casablanca, and he put the team of writers together, coordinated scenes etc. As well as this, he oversaw the production of the film and he also brought the script for Casablanca. He had a lot of control over how he wanted Casablanca to look and therefore, the film started to turn into a piece of propaganda due to the timing.

Representation in Casablanca

Women:
While there aren’t many female characters throughout Casablanca, there are stand out performances from the leading actress Ingrid Bergman playing Ilsa and Madeleine Lebeau playing Yvonne, who is represented as an incapable and almost needy mistress to Rick. Bergman’s character, however, is represented far more as a capable woman that doesn’t just accept things as they come; she confronts Rick when he doesn’t want to speak to her and even threatens to kill him over the letters that he has from the two German soldiers that were killed at the beginning of the film.

Refugees:
Refugees make up a significant amount of the characters, considering the fact that Casablanca was a place where refugees would get stuck trying to get an exit visa to Lisbon, and then America. They represent many nationalities; 34 having been cast, with a large majority of the extras being European refugees too. In the film, refugees are represented in many ways depending on their nationalities. For example, the German couple who are celebrating finally getting an exit visa are represented in a very comedic way, by talking about how they are going to get along well in America all the while speaking in unusual ways because German is spoken differently to English.

Men:
A lot of the time in Casablanca, men are represented as the saviour character in away, such as Victor Laszlo who is shown to be a typical resistance character. Rick is presented to be cynical and a realist; he doesn’t stick his neck out for anyone, but at the same time, he could also be considered as a character that people would swoon over because of his stoic personality. However, there are some men who are represented to be sleazy and rude like the Germans, which reflects the attitudes towards the Germans at the time due to the Second World War.

People of colour:
There is only one main character that is a person of colour; Sam, who is played by Dooley Wilson. He is represented to be an upbeat and optimistic character, which almost shows the attitude towards musicians who are people of colour like Louis Armstrong. They also represent other people of colour like the non-refugee population of Casablanca. However, they are presented a little more negatively-trying to scam Ilsa into buying fabric.

Historical and Political Context in Casablanca

Allies: Britain, USA and USSR (+France)
Axis: Germany, Japan and Italy

France: Begins as an allied power, but soon into the war they were invaded and surrendered to the Germans. However, some soldiers decided to continue to fight – known as the Three French. Vichy France was a territory with its own government that was basically a ‘puppet’ to the Germans, a non-occupied zone.

Morocco was part of the French empire and was controlled by Vichy France.

1939 – Second World War starts
1941 – America joins the war after the bombing of Pearl Harbour by Japan

Casablanca came out at perfect timing because the war hadn’t been going well for the Allies, but it came out when Churchill and Roosevelt had a meeting in Casablanca. It gave the Allied populations hope for the war and their futures.

“It captured the zeitgeist” – the defining mood or spirit of a particular period in history.

Operation Torch – A compromise operation that aimed to divert attention from the Eastern Front (take pressure off the Soviet Union), which allowed American forces the opportunity to invade North Africa and begin their fight against Germany and Fascist Italy. Began on 8th of November 1942

Casablanca had its world premiere on the 26th of November 1942 in New York City and then had its general release on the 23rd of January 1943.

The cinema would be a very popular way of learning about what’s happening in the news, as well as the radio and newspapers.

Casablanca Conference – A meeting between U.S. President FDR (Franklin D. Roosevelt) and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill. Joseph Stalin declined to attend. This was a finalisation of Allied strategic plans against the Axis powers. It lasted from the 14th January to the 24th, 1943.

Casablanca as star vehicle

Humphry Boggart (Rick Blaine)

Boggart was already a star before his performance in Casablanca as he had frequent roles in gangster films, such as “Dead end” and “The petrified Forrest” before this he had been in Broadway shows. I think he was cast as he was already known to be a good actor.

Ingrid Bergman (Ilsa Lund)

Bergman had previously acted in films in Sweden, she was known for her good looks, kindness and European accent. She became a star overnight after peforming in her first film in English, a remake of “Intermezzo” a film she had previously stared in Sweden. I believe she was cast due to her good looks and star-status.

Paul Henreid (Victor Laszlo)

Developed a passion for acting while still in school, and began acting in Vienna. He was in films and plays across London and Vienna such as “The madman of Europe”. He was a prominent anti-Nazi causing his assets to be seized. He left to USA with his wife and acted in a few plays before acting his most well known films, “Casablanca” and “Now Voyager”. I think he was casted as Lazlo because of his passion and political stance.

Claude Rains (Captain Renault)

Rains began acting on stage in London and due to his expressive face and clear voice he was cast in “The invisible man”. He played a number of both leading and supporting roles in many genres before being in “Casablanca”.

Conrad Veidt (Major Strasser)

He appeared in many British films such as “The thief of Bagdad” before immigrating to the United States where he was recognised for his talent and therefore casted in “Casablanca” which was the last film to be realised in his lifetime.

Sydney Greenstreet ( Signore Ferrari)

Greenstreet did not appear in films until the age of 61 after previously performing on stage. He began working for warner bros in 1941 in “The maltease falcon” which also featured Humphry Boggart who a year after would peform alongside again in “Casablanca”. He acted all through having diabetes and a kidney disease.

Peter Lorre (Ugarte)

Lorre eventually settles in Hollywood and was featured in many Warner Bros crime films, such as “Mad Love” and “The maltease falcon” He was very close friends with Boggart and they later acted together in “Casablanca”

S. Z. Sakall (Carl)

He began a career in films debuting in “Its a date” and “Ball of fire” leading him to be noticed by Warner Bros, where he turned down his role in “Casablanca” three weeks after filming had begun as he “hated it”. He eventually accepted the role.

Madeleine Lebeau (Yvonne)

Lebeau made her Hollywood debut a year before “Casablancas” realise, she was cast in “Hold back the dawn” where Warner Bros gave her a contract to feature in many films including “Casablanca”

Dooley Wilson (Sam)

His role in “Casablanca” was his most well-known peformance but he also previously was a musician touring London and Paris as he was the leader of a band.

Joy Page (Annia Brandel)

“Casablanca” was Page’s debut film, she originally thought the script was old-fashioned and cliché and she got the role on her own, with Warner Bros reluctant approval. Yet she did not land a contract and didn’t appear in another Warner Bros film.

John Qualen (Berger)

Qualen reached Broadway in 1929 before his film debut began as a screen adaptation to a play he had previously performed on stage. He became a star and appeared in over 100 films over his career including “Casablanca”

General notes:

The film was not expected to become so beloved and a “classic” it was by luck

Casablanca is a clear representation on “factory-like” filmmaking and is considered one of the best 1940s, WWII films.

The script was made up and written on a daily basis, the ending was not written until the last day of filming and the story was not well known.

Humphry Boggart (Rick) was unexperienced in this kind of role as he had only previously played in gangster films, and he was often in a bad mood on set due to the lack of preparation.

Curtiz was a Hungarian refugee, and the extras who played fellow refugees on set were real.

Mise en Scene in Casablanca

Locations: The location shots in Casablanca are incredible, as despite being shot in Hollywood, the Moroccan city of Casablanca is well portrayed and audiences are unable to tell that it wasn’t filmed there. For example, the main street is shown as a dessert due to the dry, hot climate adding to the story by reflecting the characters who stay in Casablancas feeling desperate.

• Women in the film were dressed in clothing to allow them to be perceived as innocent such as dresses and skirts.
• Extras of the film were all WW2 refugees
• Lighting and shadows add emotional intensity and portray key themes in the film
• Sets had high levels of verisimilitude, such as Ricks giving an accurate representation of and American nightclub at the time

Editing in Casablanca

• The film is fast paced allowing it to feel shorter than it is
• The editing style allows for small actions to be noticed such as the glances between Rick and the roulette man as he lets another man win, giving audiences a deeper insight to the personality traits of the characters
• The tones are well blended through the editing to make the film have high continuity

Sound in Casablanca

Diagetic sound if very prominent in Casablanca through the high amount of dialogue and the music played at Rick’s, the music played by the character Sam creates an easy-going social atmosphere whereas a large amount of dialogue has very serious undertones.

Aesthetics in Casablanca

The film combines multiple aesthetics such as film noir and melodrama to make its unique aesthetic that creates a feeling of love and longing through the foggy runway and dim lighting effects created by both high and low key lighting. The aesthetics create an exotic environment.

Representation in Casablanca

Women:

In Casablanca, women were represented to rely and follow their husbands and are seen to be less important compared to them. The film is very male dominated as it was set during WW2 where men were widely seen as stronger and more powerful, the female characters are either made to be perceived as victims to the audience or as a form of trophy to the men. They are often seen in recreational roles and do not work.

Men:

Men are portrayed very stereotypically, as dominant and powerful, they are all seen in professional roles such as police officers, army members and business owners, contrasting to the women in the film who are rarely seen to be working.

Authority figures:

Many of the authority figures appear to be quite corrupt and self absorbed, they are represented as people who do things more for their own gain instead of trying to keep the civilians safe. This is seen when the officers shut down Ricks for “gambling” as it is not allowed yet they are ironically handed their winnings while clearing the nightclub. Their authority is consistently abused without the film, most often by Captain Renalt, who gets to drink for free after curfew, gambling and he uses his power to gain money or sex from vulnerable refugees.

People of colour:

The representation of people of colour is very limited in Casablanca as the only significant character is Sam, who plays the piano at Rick’s, and is a faithful friend to him. This could create the idea that POC are unable to make it to Casablanca or that they are unwelcome there, due to the racism at the time

Americans:

Rick is the most significant American character in the film as he owns “Rick’s Cafe Americain” reflecting his pride for his nationality. The character Rick represents Americans to be passionate, seen through his love affair with Ilsa, as well as being calm and laid-back.

Europeans:

Europeans are represented differently in Casablanca. For example, the Germans and the French are represented to have high authority and seen as powerful and should be feared. Whereas other European characters completely juxtapose this as they are shown as desperate refugees who show unwavering effort to avoid the war and find a safe place to stay.

Historical and Social context

Allies: UK, USA, USSR (Russia)

Axis: Japan, Germany, Italy

France, at the start of WW2 France was an allied power, yet in June 1940 the Germans invaded and succeeded leading France to surrender and become occupies. The Free French however wanted to continue fighting so they still fought for the allies. Vichy France is a territory (around half) it has its own government but is a puppet for the Germans.

Vichy France controls Casablanca, despite being in Morocco it is still controlled by Vichy France.

World War II begins on September 1st 1939. America didn’t join the War until December of 1941 after an unprovoked attack on Pearl Harbour by Japan.

Operation Torch was an allied invasion of the French North Africa that took place on November 8th 1942 it was a compromise that led to victory in North Africa and allowing American armed forces the opportunity to begin fighting against Nazi Germany and Italy.

Casablanca premiered internationally on November 26th 1942 in New York City. It goes on general release in January 1943.

“It captured the Zeitgeist” This means that it captured and defined the spirit/ mood of a particular period of history (in Casablanca’s case WWII) shown by the ideas and beliefs of the time.

Casablanca Conference was from January 14th to January 24th 1943 between British prime minister Winston Churchill and Americas president Franklin D Roosevelt. They wanted to discuss the Allied forces strategy for the next phase of WWII. This has serendipity as this was also when Casablanca was being shown in cinemas.

In the cinema, they had movie reels similar to the news now. Before the main picture you would see a short reel showing the worlds current affairs.