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Doubtlessly one of the movies that make the bulk of the American timeless classics of cinema, Casablanca was never actually intended to be that big a hit; though definitely aiming at success, the Warner Bros. never knew that the movie was going to draw such great and different audience in seats and, which is more impressive, discuss the movie so much.
Even though Casablanca might be regarded as a spy flick, there are still several elements that make the movie stand out of the range of similar flicks, adding a timeless flair to the story, which must be attributed to a thick layer of hidden social innuendoes, as well as complex moral dilemmas that most people had to face in the course of the war.
The first problem that meets the eye, the neutrality issue is definitely a challenge to the audience.
While some of the characters take very controversial sides, they remain likable, which picks the question of whether there actually is the right side in any conflict: “Rick: ‘I just paid out twenty. I’d like to get it back.’ Captain Renault: ‘Make it ten. I’m only a poor corrupt official’” (Casablanca).
However, though very strong, the given theme cannot be considered the dominant one.
Another theme clearly marked in the movie is the past haunting the leading characters.
Rick and Ilsa have a history, which creates another layer in the movie plot: “Ilsa: ‘I wasn’t sure you were the same. Let’s see, the last time we met…’ Rick: ‘It was La Belle Aurore.’ Ilsa: ‘How nice, you remembered.’” (Casablanca).
Influencing the choices that Rick and Ilsa make, past is definitely a strong theme in Casablanca (Pontuso, 2005).
Being obviously an integral part of the movie canvas, the above-mentioned themes, nevertheless, are a part of a major one that sets the mood for the entire film, flashes out the characters and makes the audience empathize with every single one, no matter whether these characters are portrayed as positive or negative.
The key motif of the entire film, the concept of sacrifice helps portray the characters as real people, with their own strengths and weaknesses.
Going against the principles of the genre, Curtiz neither portrayed the antagonists as the epitome of evil nor displayed the protagonists as flawless and innocent victims.
By giving each of them their share of responsibilities, Curtiz helped the viewers see Rick, Ilsa, Victor and others as real people, who had to make choices basing on their own understanding of what morality is and by denying their selfish needs showing their moral growth: “Louis, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship” (Casablanca).
Therefore, the touching idea of sacrifice, which shoots the entire movie through, can be viewed as the key theme that sets the mood for the movie, provides a foil for the character development and serves as a plot device by offering the characters moral dilemmas to solve.
Needless to say, Casablanca remains a perfect model for the rest of the movie-makers to follow, with its amazing plot combining the elements of a political and a social drama and at the same time managing to keep the readers thrilled with the intrigue that drove the plot forward.
While some might argue that the entire theme of the movie was fueled by the admittedly impressive payoff at the end, it is still worth arguing that Casablanca has much more to offer than merely the overused concept of male friendship that has been dragged through too many stories by that time to twist a tear out of the viewers.
By combining such concepts as fidelity, trust and sacrifice and placing it in the environment of war, total panic and despair and showing how some people, even though belonging to the enemy camp, managed to retain their dignity, Curtiz managed to produce a surprisingly touching movie that was supposed to be a one-year flick yet managed to last for almost a century and will hopefully last just as long.
Works Cited
Casablanca. Ex. Prod. Hal B. Wallis. Dir. Michael Curtiz. Burbank, CA: Warner Bros.
Pontuso, James F. Political Philosophy Comes to Rick’s: Casablanca and American Civic Culture. Lanham, MD: Lexington Books, 2005. Print.
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