Casablanca is a movie that was set during the Second World War in Casablanca, Morocco. In the movie the main characters are Humphrey Bogart starring Rick Blaine who is the hero, Ingrid Bergman as Ilsa, Paul Henreid starring as Victor Laszlo among other actors and characters. The movie is set during the 1940 when Germany attacked Moroccan capital city Casablanca to get rid of escaping Jews and people who were escaping the persecution and Germany control over the French colonies (Weschler, 2000). The movie's cinematography is exiting through the camera artistic workmanship that allows the audience to have a glimpse into the past as though the events were taking place at the same time. The director and the production team of the movie successfully develop the plot through the eyes of a hero who solves the situation heroically by supporting people gain travelling documents to escape the Germany.
The plot of the movie is traced back into Paris in France where the Rick fell in love with Ilsa who is a Norwegian but it turns out that their love is short lived since Germany soldiers attacked and occupied France in 1940 displacing the two lovers who were to elope together but failed. Afterwards, Ilsa who walked out of Rick finds herself forced to run into Casablanca with her new husband Victor Laszlo who has been arrested twice into concentration camps but luckily escaped and he is now making his way into Morocco to the United States. Ironically, Ilsa's love for Rick fails because she refused to escape from Paris with Rick but she eventually escapes a year later with a Czechoslovakian man as her husband. Therefore, the theme of betrayed love and emotions are best brought out through the action. Rick as a hero is double crossed by his love though Ilsa explains the circumstances behind her marriage to a different man. However, Rick's forgiving character though he remains cynical is seen through his action to help Ilsa and his husband gain exit visas to Lisbon Portugal (Weschler, 2000).
Political themes are equally showed in the movie. Germany's occupation and war broke the love between Rick and Ilsa thus creating an impression that Germany's occupation war disrupted European and particularly French family, marriage and social life, therefore overstepping on the liberties and freedoms of the French people and other nationalities. Rick's cafe is a French neutral place where escaping refugees gain French exit Visas to Lisbon and United States. The war as the causing factor for dispersing population is discussed in detail. Equally, the economic cost of escaping is perceived throughout the movie as people struggle and few become successful according to their economic class (Weschler, 2000). Nationality is another factor that is displayed by the hero of the movies when Rick decided to sing aloud the French national anthem to resist drunken Germany soldiers who were singing Germany national songs at their highest vocals. Rick is stereotyped as a French resistant hero who openly resisted the Germany intimidation policy of occupation such that he protected all the refugees in his cafe while the French government under the Vichy was oppressed by being forced to pay for all the Germany expenses (FEO, 2007). On the other side, the deployable circumstances under which the refugees and other stranded individuals life is creates an emotional and sympathy appeal to blame German soldiers and war policy that has interfered with the life of many persons. Rick stands out as a brave hero who opposed the Germany presence to make sure that his cafe succeeded in providing signed exit Visa to other French citizens and other affected nationals from Europe. Lastly, concept of waging war on political territories by occupying and taking direct control of the affairs of the new territory is represented by the Germany's extended attack on colonies such as Morocco. The best quote to explain European political affairs into Africa is "Unfortunately, the scum of Europe has gravitated toward Casablanca" (Casablanca, 1942). The Germans are stereotyped as vultures though the Germans equally address the French and other
nationals the same way "This place is full of vultures! Vultures everywhere!" (Casablanca, 1942). The statement tells the political hatred between individuals as a result of ideological differences.
Emotional energy is used by the director of the movie such that the movie's sad moments are similarly shared by the audience. For instance, the quote "The fortunate ones…might obtain exit visas and scurry to Lisbon" (Casablanca, 1942) is a statement that creates the feeling of lack, oppression and directly points to the war caused by Germany. In addition, the appeal to sympathy is shown throughout the movie in order to create a war experience in the audience and viewer throughout the movie. "Two German couriers carrying official documents murdered on train from Oran" (Casablanca, 1942). Moreover, heroic characters have to share their emotional experience that is mixed with feelings of emotional anxiety created by the German soldiers in such fear arousing statements like "These papers expired three weeks ago, You'll have to come along"(Weschler, 2000). Besides creating terror in the actors and the viewer, personal rights were ignored when the Germany soldiers used the Germany occupation of France to undermine people by searching them, for instance, "This is the customary round-up of refugees, liberals, and beautiful girls for Monsieur Renault, the prefect of police." (Casablanca 1942).
Casablanca is a heroic movie that portrays all kinds of themes from Europe such as family life, marriage, love, political and economic stability as they interact with crisis cultures war and dictatorship.
Casablanca is not acted in Morocco, actually it was shot in Utah and California but the film still calls up the image of Morocco (Tazi, M.A. & Dwyer, K. 2004). Though the film is not acted at Casablanca, the intended message is best conveyed through scenery songs and sounds. The most heroic activity is when Rick promise to pay all his workers their salary though the cafe is closed to normal business in order to handle war situation humanitarian crisis.
