Introduction
In the essay we shall be discussing facts from the film, Casablanca that suggest that it is more of a love and romantic story than it has been thought to be otherwise. The movie has been considered by many to be a collection of movies. This is because of its historic significance and the fact that it combines a number of elements into one. The aspect of love and romance has been revealed in certain instances such as sacrifice and desperation because of love. The plot has been set in a country and place that was considered a haven for both refugees and foreigners. At the same time, the movie does not just involve the characters of the place it was set but is mainly focused on the events of the Second World War. Casablanca may be considered a symbol of the dilemma that the United States found itself in during the Second World War that prompted the leaders to take sides. However, when we all at all the elements that surround the plot and not including third party analysis, we realize that Casablanca was meant to be a love and romantic movie. Considering the historic significance attached to the movie, we cannot deny the fact that it is seen by many to have political significance. We shall hence at the end of the paper look at what some of the renowned philosophers, Adam Smith and Rick Altman would have to say about the movie.
At first glance, the movie has been presented as a romantic affair than any other elements highlighted. The focus is on Ilsa Lund who is seen held between two men, Rick and Laszlo. She is forced to make a sacrifice in both scenarios by making a decision that will benefit either of the men. In the first instance, he left Rick after learning that her husband, who he had left for dead, is a live and in need of support. She makes this sacrifice despite the fact that she knew how much she was in love with Rick. The setting was in France and they were just preparing to leave for Casablanca to start a new life. It was a heart breaking moment for Rick who received a note from his friend Sam that Ilsa will never see him again (Ebert, 1992). This is a pain he has been struggling for years to overcome and forget. It should be noted that it is a sacrifice that Ilsa took to help and support her husband who she realized was still alive and not as dead as she had earlier thought.
In the second instance, Ilssa again is caught up between the two men who have remained significant in her life. As they seek for tickets to leave Casablanca for America for political reasons, Ilsa learns that the man he left for her husband is the one in charge of the tickets. She realizes that she is still in love with Rick who has not yet come over the memories of their separation. Ilsa is so desperate to see ensure that her husband leaves the country that she is ready to do anything that will be pleasing to Rick. In this scene, she makes a sacrifice for both men and leaves the decision entirely to Rick. The sacrifice towards Laszlo was to ensure that he is out of the country even if it will mean that she remains back. The sacrifice for Rick is that she will be ready to remain with him as long as she allows her husband to travel out of the country. This was an illustration of true love romance of a woman who was caught up between two lovers.
Romance has also been associated with sacrifice which has come out clearly in the film. Vital characters had to make sacrifices for each other. The first sacrifice was that of Ilsa leaving her newfound love for a husband who needed her more than anything. Even though she thought, her husband was dead and dated another man, the news of the fact that her husband was alive and needed her support make her counsel her trip with him and stay with her husband. The second sacrifice was also of Ilsa who again was ready to sacrifice for her husband’s departure to America by letting Rick own her. It was a tough decision for her to make but she realized that the best thing that would happen to her husband was to leave out of the country (Nachbar, 2000). On the other hand, she also realizes that the best thing that would happen to Rick was if she remained with her. She was hence ready to make such sacrifices just to facilitate the happiness of the two men.
The third and most probably the most intriguing sacrifice was that of Rick. He had been given the power to make a decision on Laszlo and Ilsa of which it was to remain with Ilsa and care less about what would happen to Laszlo. Laszlo had become his rival and the best thing he would have done was to in fact kill him or do anything that will ensure he completely disappears from Ilsa’s life so that he remains with her. Contrary to what the audience would have expected, at the last moment, he allows Ilsa and Laszlo to travel together to America as he figured out on the next step. It was a big sacrifice considering the fact that he had already made the decision to fly away with Ilsa and even sold Casablanca, his livelihood.
Despair has been associated with the various actions that have been taken by the lovers just to achieve what they want. Casablanca can be considered a place where desperate people met for consolation and redemption. Foreigners who needed to get travel documents mostly visited the pub. Despair is also a facto that made Ilsa to make various sacrifices in the movie, which included leaving Rick and later on being ready to be rejoined to him just for the sake of Laszlo (Siegel, 1992). The desperation to have Ilsa back also prompted Rick to plot out on having Laszlo arrested and subsequently escaping with Ilsa. It was also such a desperation that made him sell Casablanca as he realized that time was ripe for him to leave the country. After he made the decision to allow Laszlo and Ilsa to fly together, Louis almost interrupted such plans. Laszlo desperation to ensure that they leave the country made him shoot Louis.
Adam Smith and Rick Altman’s view
Smith and Altman have viewed contemporary film to have more social and political notions of films. It is not the romantic aspect that has come out strongly but also the symbols that movie directors use to bring out a particular topic. Casablanca is hence a movie that focuses on deeper issue of economy and politics, which require an analytic mind to get the message. Film is tactic that was used to address issues of economic and political significance, which could not just be mentioned directly. This was for protecting the people concerned as well as the artist who played a big role in revolutionizing the society (Altman, 1987). According to Smith’s view, there is a lot that can be drawn from the movie basing on the plot and events. In Casablanca, apart from the characters who are lovers, the setting and events revolve around world war two and the super powers that were involved. In analyzing the movie, focus should not just revolve around the characters but also the setting and events that follow. Smith on the other hand bases his thoughts on the economic setting of the movie (Skinner, 1979). For instance, the movie Casablanca had economic significance in relation to invents that were kept and maintained by the people.
Casablanca is an interesting movie that gives the audience more than it would have expected. The movie ends with a lot of suspense as one is left wondering what may have happened to the characters. It is only after analyzing the movie on a deeper sense that one realizes that it was more than just a love affair but more of a political scenario. The movie allows the audience to choose what they want to gain from it. Whether the audience wanted a romantic entertainment or a historical analysis of the world war, the director did enough to ensure the audience had a taste of both scenarios.
Reference list
Altman, R. (1987). The American film musical. Indiana University Press.
Ebert, R. (1992). Roger Ebert's movie home companion. Andrews McMeel Publishing.
Holt, M. (1996). The making of Casablanca and the making of curriculum. Journal of curriculum studies, 28(3), 241-251.
Nachbar, J. (2000). Doing the Thinking for All of Us: Casablanca and the Home Front. Journal of Popular Film and Television, 27(4), 5-15.
Siegel, J. (1992). The Casablanca Companion: The Movie and More. Taylor Publishing Company.
Skinner, A. S. (1979). ADAM SMITH: AN ASPECT OF MODERN ECONOMICS?*. Scottish Journal of Political Economy, 26(2), 109-125.
