Scott Yarmoff
Mrs. Robbins
Film Period 3
9/10/14
Casablanca
Rick is
a character who obviously “...stick(s) (his) neck out for nobody.”
It seems as if he loves nobody and nothing, and has no reason to be
in Casablanca. We later find out that he had a lover (whom he didn't
even want to see) which adds to the plot and the complexity of his
character. Before and after the audience knows about this time in
Paris, Rick is portrayed as a lonely and unhappy man. Nothing makes
him smile, it seems. We finally learn at the end of the film that
Ilsa loves and misses Rick just as much as he loves and misses her.
Finally, he has an opportunity to be happy. Even though he feels at
first that Laszlo is stealing Ilsa away from him, he changes the plan
all of a sudden and makes sure to do anything necessary to get Laszlo
and Ilsa on the plane together and to have it take off, including
shooting Major Strasser. He crushed the one chance he had to be with
the love of his life in America. His reason? Ilsa would regret it if
she didn't go with Laszlo. But what about you, Rick? Rick and Ilsa
obviously love each other more than Ilsa loves Laszlo, this is his
only chance to be happy, Ilsa would be happier with him, and he just
denies himself the opportunity to make himself and his lover happy.
He has no reason to do this besides just being nice to Laszlo (who
has done nothing concerning Rick except cause the end of his
relationship with Ilsa). Rick just decides that this is the best
option for everyone even when two of the three people involved are
going to miss each other for the rest of their lives. So my question
is this: Why did Rick deny himself and Ilsa of happiness together?
I agree with your point that it was clear that Rick still loves Ilsa, but I think Ilsa may not love Rick as much as you say. I believe that towards the end of the movie Ilsa begins to realize that she doesn't love Rick anymore, or at least not as much as she used to. I say this because for one, if she really wanted to she could've stayed in Casablanca with Rick. I think Rick realizes this, and I also believe that what he really wanted was cloture with Ilsa, knowing that she was happy.
ReplyDeleteI agree with my esteemed colleague's points. Also, it's like Rick says, nine chances out of ten they'd both end up in a concentration camp. I think that in the end it shows that deep down, Rick is really a very moral, upstanding character. He loved her so much that he wouldn't be able to live with himself if he didn't know she was safe in America.
ReplyDeletePretty swaggy blog. Aside from the fact that he doesnt think that it would be safe for Ilsa to stay in Casablanca, taking another man's wife goes against Rick's code as a fellow man. Cha feel?
ReplyDelete