Casablanca (Michael Curtiz, 1942) - We all try. You succeed

[KarenHart]

Casablanca is essentially a war picture and I see the characters as nations. This takes place in a zone where no one is in charge, good or bad. Titles and uniforms mean nothing. Americans don't care, the French "blow with the wind", the Bulgarians are sad-eyed helpless refugees, the Germans throw their weight around ("boom boom boom") but have no real power, and Victor, the Czech, is fighting for his dignity, which is admired, but is ultimately useless in a place where you're only as good as your second-by-second wits (if you can't defend yourself from vultures, well...). Regardless of what they're doing or attempting to do, nothing really happens until Rick takes matters into his own hands and changes the lack of progress.

Metaphor for Americans entering the European war? Absolutely, yes. "It's December 1941 in Casablanca, what time is it in New York?" he asks Sam. This sets it in time before Pearl Harbor. Why? Because Americans don't care until then. It's a European war until then -- it's Victor Lazlo's war until then. Rick and Louis, for all their past ties to the continent don't see it as their war. It's not their problem. It's only when Rick makes it his problem that the environment shifts in Casablanca. Rick gives the Bulgarian couple money to get out; he puts Victor and Ilsa on a plane. He becomes involved and forces change position --- the U.S. goes in to support the Allies and we're going to defeat those Facists! It's propaganda, but it's nice propaganda with fun songs and champagne cocktails that no one ever drinks.

In the end, it doesn't really have anything to do with whether or not Rick would be happier with Ilsa. She's a neutral territory. Sure, she admires Victor, the courage to fight for your freedom, but given the chance to drop him and go with apathetic Rick, she does, without even wanting to think about it. "Do the thinking for both of us," she says. Her posture slips, she had something of a backbone before, but now she's mush.

But staying with neutral Ilsa means remaining unattached to the war. Instead Rick accepts his role in the struggle and by doing so he frees Europe from (to follow your theme) Purgatory and elevates them away from Nazi Hell. Perhaps by saving them Rick can free himself and move up a notch toward Paradise. By joining the war he can end the perpetual stalemate (chess is significant, I agree) and we can all leave Purgatory when the Nazis/Strassers are dead.

[jkatz]

I would agree with the insinuation that the characters in Casablanca resemble the nation they call home. For example Rick and his Café Americain represent the United States in that it is a melting pot of culture. Though I disagree with the statement of no power in Casablanca. The Nazi’s and the French exercise their power over Casablanca’s visitors, people there are taught to be afraid of uniforms and Casablanca is a rather bad place, a purgatory, as said in class. Rick taking matters into his own hands does change the lack of progress.

[KarenHart]

Well, okay, the Nazis have more of an aura of power, but what do they really do besides kill Ugarte? We don't even know if they do that --- committed suicide or died trying to escape. Not that there isn't an implication of wrong-doing on the part of the authorities, but it's vague. And why be vague about it? Like we need to protect Nazis from getting a bad reputation? It's crazy. Why not come out and say they knocked him off or that he didn't hold up under questioning?

Honestly, their checks aren't even good at the bar and they're lucky that's open to them.

The only one with power is Rick when he chooses to exercise it (forcing the cheat on roulette when he wants someone to win like Renault or the Bulgarian kids --- otherwise, apparently, everyone loses). Even Victor is unable to do much but start the impromptu sing-along, which is rousing and gets the bar closed, but it just brings everyone back to square one again. Maybe it's all about balance until Rick tips it in favor of the Allies ... hmm .... there's a thought.

[jkatz]

I interpreted Ugarte’s death a little differently. It is strongly implied that the Nazis did in fact murder Ugarte and they use the cover up to shed themselves in a positive light. I think in Casablanca, committed suicide or died trying to escape are in a sense euphemisms for his murder. It is in fact about reputation, not to us as viewers but to the people in Casablanca and surrounding Nazi occupied nations.

Rick not allowing the Nazi in his café or saying that he can only go to the bar isn’t about power in Casablanca. Rick’s café is America; it is a melting pot of culture with hopes and dreams. America was not yet involved in the war thus Rick doesn’t involve himself with Nazis if he can avoid it. I really don’t see that as a power struggle but rather moral obligations for Rick.

Mind you, I did agree with your ‘thought’ regarding Rick…

[KarenHart]

Yes, I like the balance/unbalance idea now as well --- more so than the characters as countries. I've also always been intrigued by the way Victor is perplexed by people referring to Ilsa as his wife. "He said 'Ask you wife' -- I don't know why he said that." It's not the asking that confuses him, but that people assume they're married. It's an interesting way to read a line.

I also like Rick calling Ilsa a whore in a thinly veiled way with his story about hearing stories in a parlor with a tinny piano and "Mister I met a man once". Way to skip the censors, Warner Bros!

[PHarrison]

As KarenHart points out the U.S. was very hesitant to enter the war, as popular opinion was against getting involved in another war after the devastation of WWI. Yet, we sent over supplies, and many Americans went overseas to Europe to help in the war effort. Though we didn’t enter the war until after Pearl Harbor, Casablanca appears to be a call to arms for Americans to get involved in the war. Rick in many ways represents the American attitude just prior to entering WWII. As the cynical owner of Rick’s Café Americain, Rick appears to remain aloof and unattached to those around him barely acknowledging the war being fought around him. He appears to have no loyalty to anyone except for himself, which he tells Louis, “I stick my neck out for nobody.” However, in small ways, Rick displays his underlying rebellious nature such as the way he refuses entry to the German banker, or helps the young couple get the money they need to buy their exit papers. As we learn more about Rick, we discover that before coming to Casablanca, Rick was involved in political causes, supporting losing sides against fascism in Spain and Ethiopia. When Ilsa and Victor Lazlo arrive in Casablanca, we also learn of the romance that left Rick standing in the rain at the train station feeling like his gut was kicked in. Through this, we learn that at one point, Rick was a romantic idealist who after having been hurt, and has turned into a jaded, cold hearted and apathetic capitalist. Victor Lazlo is clearly a man that Rick admires, as he looks forward to meeting him when he learns that he is in Casablanca. And though his feelings for Lazlo initially turn to jealousy and possible resentment for his role in Ilsa breaking his heart, by the end of the film, I believe that Rick understands, through each ones willingness to sacrifice themselves for the other, that Ilsa and Lazlo truly belong together, if not for themselves but for the cause they represent. I believe that it is Ilsa and Lazlo’s stoic devotion to duty, honor and loyalty that inspire Rick enough to restore his sense of idealism and realize that he too needs to be a better person and stand up and fight for a cause that he believes in.