Film and American Culture Series: "Casablanca" Review


     This week I am reviewing Casablanca directed by Michael Curtiz. It was produced by Hal B. Wallis and was released nationally on January 23, 1943. The cinematography was done by Arthur Edeson and the musical score was written by Max Steiner. The film won three Academy Awards: Outstanding Motion Picture, Best Director, and Best Writing (Screenplay).

 Casablanca follows the main character Rick (Humphrey Bogart) who owns a club in Casablanca. Many people that are fleeing the Nazis go through Casablanca and try to get papers in order to leave. Ilsa (Ingrid Bergman) a woman that broke Rick’s heart in Paris comes in to the club with her husband Victor (Paul Henreid). We learn that she fell in love with Rick when she thought her husband died and left Rick at the train station waiting for her because she found out her husband was still alive. Rick then helps the couple flee to America by coming across two letters of transit and tricking the police. When Ilsa starts to refuse to go and voices her desire to stay with Rick he tells her she will regret that decision and gives the movie's famous line, "Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but soon and for the rest of your life." After she goes on the plane with her husband the movie ends with Rick leaving with the local police captain after the escape to leave for their safety as well.

Does this film have specific meaning to the time it was released? Or does it have a universal them we can apply to today? I believe it has a perennial meaning about perspective and how everything has more than one side to it as well as forgiveness and selfless love. At first Rick was furious about Ilsa breaking his heart but once he learns her side of the story he forgives her. When she expresses her wish to leave her husband after he gets safe transit to America and stay with Rick so they can finally be together he chooses to let her go and insists she stay with her husband where she will be safe.

     I can definitely appreciate this film as one of the classics. Though the plot has a more simple love story theme on the surface, if you dig deeper you can pick up underlying details mostly revolving around the Nazi occupation. The film follows a theme of sacrifice through a poetic representation that holds its weight to this day. 

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