Casablanca

Bella Gollomp

Casablanca Blog Post

While watching Casablanca, it is evident that there is a love triangle between Ilsa, Viktor, and Rick. The audience is given very little information about these three characters’ pasts leaving us having to infer and use subtle hints that they drop sporadically throughout the film to piece it together. However as the plot unfolds, the relationship is centered around Ilsa and Rick and why Ilsa chose to abandon him in Paris years ago. We are informed that Viktor and Ilsa are married and were still married during the time she was with Rick, and ultimately left Rick to be with Viktor in the midst of the chaos with the Nazi’s. Both Rick and Viktor are similar characters with vast differences at the same time; it does not surprise me that Ilsa takes on an interest in both of these men. Rick is a “closet romantic” in my eyes, although we are introduced to him as a very closed off guy with little emotion, Ilsa is what brings out his softer side. In their scenes together in Paris, the two are “transported by each other,” as it says in the film. Rick’s famous saying to Ilsa is, “Here’s looking at you, kid”, which I translate into nothing makes him happier than simply looking at her and knowing that she’s his. Like Rick, Viktor comes across as very self-assured and doesn’t take orders from anyone, and he’s constantly shown in a calm manner despite the craziness around him. Both men are alike in the sense of self confidence and most importantly their affection for Ilsa. In my opinion, their most prominent difference is that Viktor loves Ilsa more than she loves him, and it is clear that he is “too nice” to her. The scene between Ilsa and Viktor where he sympathizes with her situation in Paris and lets his love be known to her. “Viktor, whatever I do, will you believe that I, that . . .". "You don’t even have to say it," says Viktor, "I’ll believe." From this scene, the director is letting us know that Ilsa will try to get the letters from Rick and that she may have to employ sexual means to do so. Because Rick is not as much as a “warm” character, I think this draws Ilsa to him. From this love triangle we can see that Ilsa is the type of woman who needs a confident man to take care of her, remain by her side, and love her. Through her actions and exposing of her past, we notice a “shady” side to her that questions motivation and loyalty.

Casablanca

The unspoken conflict between Viktor Laszlo, Ilsa Lund, and Rick Blaine is a classic love triangle that is kept up with during the whole movie. Ilsa has a very hard time deciding who she wants to be with after her long lost love Rick unintentionally makes his way back into her life. Viktor, her loving husband, is a noble man who always keeps his word and plays it safe, but Rick is very mysterious, keeping the audience is on the edge of their seats the entire movie, wondering if he is hiding something or not. There is a certain appeal that men like Rick have to women, as they are much more unpredictable and exciting than average guys like Viktor. This tells us that Ilsa was very bored of her marriage with Viktor (especially because she was with Rick at two separate occasions) and needed to live a little and satisfy her need for excitement in her life. So for Ilsa, who knows that both men love her very much, it was a matter of who she could be herself around. We see that she is a free spirit and it is hard to stay that way when you constantly have to follow your husband around to all of his important business affairs and act like you know what's going on. Ilsa always seemed so much more bubbly and carefree around Rick, like they were the only two people in the world, which cannot be said about her and Viktor. In reality, Viktor was kind of getting the short end of the stick the entire movie, since Ilsa kept running off with Rick and leaving him in the dark. At the end of the movie there was only one thought going through my mind, which was: Why was Viktor okay with the fact that his wife almost left him for another man and snuck behind his back to do it (even though he eventually got his way)? There is a huge trust issue between Viktor and Ilsa, where in the movie she would lie to his face and he would think nothing of it because he believes that they have a healthy, honest marriage. The fact that he doesn't let Ilsa's questionable actions with Rick get in the way of his marriage is a true sign of what a mature and forgiving person Viktor is, which are good qualities to have in a partner, and Ilsa should be grateful to have someone with the character that Viktor Laszlo has.

Something I found interesting as I read The History Channel Magazine's article "Play It Again And Again" was that Humphrey Bogart was "morally opposed to dallying with costars" even though in the film, Rick snuck around with Ilsa behind Viktor's back. I just think it's charming that he is the exact opposite of his character in real life in terms of relationships. Ingrid Bergman (Ilsa) on the other hand, reportedly "engaged in numerous affairs with her directors or leading men," even though she was apparently married at the time. So, she was exactly like the character she played in Casablanca, as she liked to live on the wild side.

Casablanca

Casablanca, a film of the early 1940's, was famous for not only its fascinating story line but its remarkable edits. The film opens up with a montage of historical background of what was happening in Germany at the time under Hitler's rule, and as the narrator is talking about the different routes that the refugees had to take, there is an overlap in the camera. There is a map that lays lightly on top of a moving and restless crowd. This was an outstanding first scene, because it immediately gave me knowledge on what the film was going to be about and kept me interested. Another thing that I noticed while watching the film was the atmosphere and mood that was created by the characters. In the first five minutes of the film, someone is shot. There is so much motion going on that it makes the audience almost feel as if he or she is actually there. Yet, at the same time, there is a hopeful attititude from the people, in fact, one of the girls looks up at the plane and says, " I hope I am on that plane tomorrow." Right before she says that line, there is an upward shot as if she is looking up at it, which makes the audience feel like they are actually there. This scene relates to a particular scene in the film The Parent Trap, when the two sisters are leaving camp and they are on their way back home. Ofcourse, they are so excited to swap parents, but at the same time, they don't want to leave eachother. This two sided emotion keeps the film relatable. One thing that I found very confusing was the lack of response to the guy being shot in the first scene. Understandably so, it was much more common for that time period, but I would have expected at least a little more of a reaction. Another thing that I found very interesting was that Rick was not shown until the audience heard about him from others, like the fact that he "Never drinks with customers. Then, Renault mentions "Rick is amazing. If I were a girl, I would marry him", which immediately let the viewers know that he was a very important character who was superior to the rest. The hype that is created makes the film more engaging and curious so that they want to watch and find out more. Another characteristic that I noticed while watching casablanca was the light vs dark outfit combinations. When we are first introduced to Rick, He is in an all white suit while all of the officers enter Ricks restaurant in darker colors. This creates an automatic perception that the darker outfitted characters were the "bad guys", while the lighter ones were the good guys. And that was exactly the case. Another outfit-character match was when Ilsa arrived in Rick's cafe at night while he was drinking alone. Ilsa arrived in a long coat and something over her head. This creates a sense of mystery and curiosity of what Ilsa and Rick's past was. After viewing the entire film, do you believe that Ilsa actually had a deep and existent love for Rick, or do you think it was partly so her and Lazlow could get on the plane to safety? And if she did really love him, wouldn't she stay with him in Casablanca? Isn't that what true love is all about?

Opening Scene:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pYG1Vbgq0o

Casablanca

Why is Rick Blaine portrayed to be a lonely depressed man at first? Is there something or someone that changes his emotions?

Throughout Casablanca I picked up on the character change of Rick Blaine from a tough, self-centered man to a sentimental and loving man. At the beginning of the film when we are first introduced to Rick you see him sitting alone drinking and playing a game of chess. Maybe it symbolizes a game he can't ever win. We are also told that Rick "never drinks with the costumers" and maybe thats because he's more important than most people sitting in that bar because he has a lot more privileges than the others sitting in his bar. He's from America and could probably leave Casablanca when he choose, he has a lot of money, and he seems to know a lot of highly ranked people. I believe that they try to portray Rick as a type of lonely, self-dependant character is because he really is a lonely character because he has nobody, not since Ilsa. He is upset about what happened in Paris and this is how he's choosing to cope with it. Rick Blaine is very similar to the character Jay Gatsby in the since that they both use money, power, and alcohol to cover their pain. They both are also trying to play at a game of winning over a girl when they both know that they're going to lose.

When Ilsa, Rick's former lover, comes back into Rick's life however the viewers get a new perspective of Rick on the inside and how sympathetic he really can be. Ilsa brings out the best in him and he realizes it. Back to the thought of how he says he never has a drink with anybody, when Ilsa and Laszlo are sitting at a table and ask him to have a drink with them he kindly accepts. As time goes by, Rick becomes worried that Ilsa and Laszlo are leaving and he won't ever see his one true love again and does all he can to keep them there in Casablanca. He eventually realizes that he needs to do whats best for Ilsa because after all he loves her. From a man who sticks his neck out for nobody, he risks getting arrested and kills a man just to help Ilsa and Laszlo escape Casablanca once and for all.

Casablanca

Casablanca is still such a classic because it is has many strong themes that stand out. Some of these are: good vs. evil, doing the right thing, and putting the needs of the many before the needs of the few. It's about principles and morality. Those ideas never go out of time; if anything, they become more relevant. The tale of those people, in that time still matters. 

Rick says that he "sticks his neck out for nobody," but ultimately, his better nature comes to the fore, and he does indeed stick his neck out. When he shoots the Nazi Colonel Strasser, he not only allows Lazlow, to escape to America. 

Rick also selflessly sacrifices the love of his life. Walking away with Louis, the cop who knows what Rick did but still instructs his men to "round up the usual suspects," He's joining the fight against the Nazis.

Rick is a complicated man. He's a loner, but his friends love him. He claims to be just a saloon keeper, but he has the integrity of a guy who stands up for the little guy. You see the pain he has over having lost Ilsa in Paris. What do you think was Rick's "turning point" in Casablanca?

Casablanca

Casablanca: the greatest film of all time. What makes it such an amazing film is everything that goes into it; the music, cinematography, direction and the playwright. One key part of Casablanca that is significant to the creation of the film is the music. There is music in the majority, if not all, of the film that contributes many emotions to the understanding of Casablanca. Two songs specifically stood out, which almost tell the tale of the film as a whole; The French national anthem, "La Marseillaise", and "As Time Goes By". The French national anthem stood out to me because it is how the movie begins, as the overlay of the French map and the clips from Casablanca, and it is how the movie ends.

"La Marseillaise", though played throughout the movie, stood out to me when it is played in "Rick's" as the soldiers do their Nazi anthem, and other people in the cafe join in with Laszlo in overcoming them. This was extremely powerful and significant I believe in setting the mood of Casablanca and in "Rick's" as it becomes dramatic and darker when Strasser orders the cafe to be shut down. This song is played throughout the movie signifying freedom and brotherhood, overpowering the negative and dark connotations to the Natzi anthem.

The second song that the movie also is told around is, "As Time Goes By". This song is a symbol of the love between Rick and Ilsa. We first hear it in "Rick's" when we are introduced to Ilsa and start to learn who she is as a character. She asks Sam to play it and his response is quite hesitant but once he does, Ilsa begins to get emotional. Sam plays this song throughout the movie at the request of both Ilsa and Rick. Sam is resistant upon both requests in order to prevent both from hurting but the song itself represents their past love in Paris and when she doesn't show up at the train, but also a possible rebirth of their love in Casablanca.

Many aspects in this film make it easy to give it the title of the "greatest film of all time" but due to the relationships that are created with the music and the significance in them make it clear as to why. On top of that there are many aspects to be discussed on what make it such a great film, from quotes, direction and cinematography. The impact that this movie brings to people is what will keep it around for generations to come. Why do you think its a great film? Was the film intended to be build around these two songs?

Casablanca

At the beginning of the film, Rick was introduced as what seemed to be a big, tough guy, who doesn't seem to care much about everything. On several occasions he states, "I stick my neck out for nobody", a motto he keeps until the end of the movie. Although the phrase might seem harsh, it is actually very strategic, which shows more about Bogart's character. One example, which occurs right in the beginning of the movie, is when Rick takes the visas from his friend Ugarte to keep them safe, and then allows the police to arrest Ugarte without doing anything to help (even as he begs at Rick's feet).

But Rick's attitude changes when Ilsa arrives in Casablanca with her husband, Laszlo. Rick agrees to sit down with Ilsa and Laszlo at their table, something that he has never done for any of his other guests, showing the audience that Ilsa is very important to Rick.

We later learn through a series of flashbacks that there was actually a third Rick, an innocent romantic who went by Richard. Ilsa and Richard had a happy life in Paris, although they didn't know much about each other. Richard loved Ilsa, and when the Nazis began arriving in Paris, he planed to leave with her and get married... but she stood him up at the train station, never to be seen by Rick until they meet in Casablanca. This was the moment when Rick changed from an innocent lover to a tough man, who sticks his neck out for nobody.

Near the end of the movie, we realize that, while Rick maintains his tough, non-caring façade, he does in fact assist those in need. For example, he helped a young man win money from a roulette table, so he would have enough money for visas, and his wife wouldn't have to sleep with Renault for them.

At the very end, Rick sticks his neck out for Ilsa and Laszlo, holding a gun at Renault (his own friend), and even shooting Major Strasser! This moment was a HUGE change for Rick, because for once, he put his own life on the line in order to let the love of his life, fly away to safety with her husband (instead of taking the visas for himself or for profit).

Rick is a very complicated character, and he goes through many emotional changes throughout his life (or at least what we see of it). He goes from an innocent lover, to a serious cafe owner (who let his own friend be arrested), to a caring, selfless individual. The other thing that is interesting about Bogart's charter, is that we don't know much about his past and we don't really know what will become of him in the future!

Why can't Rick go back to America?

Casablanca

Casablanca is often referred to as the best film of all time. What about it makes it such an incredible, timeless, film? To me, Casablanca gets this title because of one, it’s relatable themes, and two, it’s not-so-classic ending to a classic kind of film.

First of all, relatable themes are weaved throughout this entire movie. A huge theme in this film is hope. This caught my eye from the beginning, hope glimmers throughout the entirety of this film. From start to finish, everyone in the film has hope for something, whether it’s a plane to America or the connection that they once had with an old lover. A perfect example of hope is through the main character, Rick Blaine. Or Richard, which is what his past lover, Ilsa, called him before she ran away from him and left him at a train station waiting for her arrival. Rick throughout the years he had to go through without Ilsa hoped for her return so he could ask her questions: Why did she leave him? Was there another man? What even happened? Maybe Rick was just hoping that Ilsa was hoping to see him as well. And maybe, just maybe, he hoped that she loved him back, even with what she did to him. Another theme is love, not just between Ilsa and Rick, but also between Ilsa and Victor Laszlo and Sam and Rick. These are all important connections because they illustrate love in different ways: a romantic way and a “just friends” way. Besides the obvious love between Rick and Ilsa and Ilsa with Victor, Rick and Sam do love each other. Not only have they known each other for a long time shown in the flashback, but Sam seems to know basically everything about Rick. If not everything, then he knows what is best for him and he truly cares about Rick. They have grown to not only have a boss-employee relationship, but also a solid friendship. Hope and love are two relatable themes because they’re common among most people. Most people, if not all people, have hope for something whether it’s hope for a bright future or hope for a good grade on a math test. Also, everyone probably loves someone whether it’s a family member, best friend, or partner. These common themes make the movie easy for the audience to relate to. 

The themes of love and hope leads to number two of why this is one of the best films of all time, the surprise ending. By the end of the movie, Rick and Ilsa do "magically" run into each other in Casablanca. Of course. After explaining herself, they both dug up the past feelings that they had and confessed that they never stopped loving each other. So, like any “classic movie”, you’d think that this would be the end, right? Ilsa breaks things off with Laszlo so she can be with her number one love, Rick? That’s what I thought too, but I was mistaken. Rick sacrifices his happiness and true love and boards Laszlo and Ilsa on a plane to America. This was a shock factor and made the movie have a complete surprise ending which will make it go down further in history.

Casablanca

Why is this film such a classic?  Why are audiences drawn to it again and again? 


Whenever a movie is considered a classic, it consists of a certain special change in the protagonist. Character development at the core is what moves the movie along and towards the ultimate goal of the film crew. This film does a spectacular job at showing Rick's change from beginning to the end. In the beginning Rick is a cold and selfish person, he has no interest in sticking his neck out for anybody, unless he is somehow benefiting from it. We met Isla, a past lover of Rick and we slowly start seeing his cold exterior melt away. The climax of the transformation of Rick came in the scene when Isla sneaks into his office at the club and demands him to help her and Laszlo. At first Rick is hesitant to show any weakness and would rather be killed than to help Isla, but after she explodes with tears, Rick breaks down and comforts her. This scene is so moving because of the use of flashbacks in the film of Rick and Isla in Paris together. The flashbacks show them as a perfect couple with no problems and worries. The emotional embrace in Rick's office gives us some hope this couple will find each other again. At first, it looks like Rick is going to continue to help himself like he has done for the past years but instead sticks out his neck for Isla and Laszlo. This transformation of Rick is what makes viewers keep watching. It's the fact that he is giving up his true love to make sure Isla didn't stay around in Casablanca to relive Paris, because sometimes memories are better than reality. 

In the final scene, Rick's monologue he ends it with here's to looking at you kid, what he use to say in Paris. This line is to show how maybe they'll never be together, they will always show the importance of their love. Something's in life are bigger than selfish intentions and Casablanca is so famous because we see Rick's epiphany on the subject.

Casablanca

• Why is this film such a classic?  Why are audiences drawn to it again and again? 

This film is considered by many a classic and draws audiences from every generation because it does not follow the plot or themes of a "traditional" love story. In an average romance novel or movie, the male protagonist and the female protagonist live in a relatively peaceful setting and share a, what some would call, "cheesy" love, exchanging banal phrases and being overly-dramatic. However with Casablanca, this is not the case. Not only were the actors and the director of the movie able to successfully unite the themes of a brutal war and a passionate love, but also make the story of Rick and Ilsa very unique. 

The fact that the setting is during a war complements the underlying plot very well. The contrast between the turbulence of the quickly-paced events and the tender and passionate history of Rick and Ilsa makes this movie revolutionary. The war aided the character development of both Rick and Ilsa, because they both are doomed due to consequences of the war. Rick transforms from a deeply isolated person to someone who is capable of conveying a spectrum of emotions, while Ilsa is a deeply mysterious woman who hides her war-related secret until the very end.

This story is also considered a classic because it skillfully manages to create an ending very much contrary to what the audience anticipated. I feel that the director intentionally made the audience believe that Casablanca would end just like any other love story - Rick and Ilsa would remain together forever and they would live "happily ever after." However, almost in the last minutes of the film it is revealed that Rick makes the decision to depart with the love of his life - this time forever. It is not explicitly stated in the movie, but we see the crisis that the two lovers experience - the knowledge that they will never end up together and that their lives will never intersect.

The repeated use of the classic song As Time Goes By also gives the audience an emotional undertone to the plot, and instantly embeds an association in the audience's minds between Rick's and Ilsa's past and the presence of the song. Also, I noticed that in between transition of scenes, the song plays in a very minor, epic orchestra rendition. As I found from my research, the song was later covered numerous times by famous singers such as Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett after the immense success of the movie, further proving that it truly affected and was well-known by many.

My question at the end of this movie was what makes the song "As Time Goes By" so relevant to the movie?

A still from the last scene of Casablanca, which proved to be an extremely unexpected ending

Casablanca

Rick Blaine's character is known for being the typical, classic tough guy who is more to himself and doesn't concern with other peoples problems that don't involve him.

In his very first shots in the film he was seen alone, drinking and playing chess in a room is selective people. When a man tried to join the room and use money to persuade him, Rick didn't care a bit and continued with his own ways. Also, it was known that Rick won't sit and have a drink with any of the costumers. This can be looked at in the perspective that Rick is almost too good forever and he feels no need to attend anyones requests but his own. As the film further developed we saw Rick open up to more people by associating in their personal conflicts and having more sympathy for those in need. For example, when when the girl (who looked up at the plane in the beginning) came and basically begged for money. Rick had a soft stop and helped her even though he didn't need to. Throughout the whole film but specifically in the end, Renault has been constantly making fun of and point out Rick's sensitivity and sentimentality. Specifically when Renault sees Rick completely vulnerable in front of Ilsa as they're saying good bye.

Although Rick managed to maintain a straight face and never exposed himself too much he was still able to express his emotions to us by the actions he took for people and his connection between not only Ilsa but also Sam. The way he treated his works and how his workers respected him shows his character best. Him being a genuine and caring man, regardless of the facade he tried to place by being more isolated and serious most of the time.

Why would Rick feel the need to always maintain this serious persona?

Casablanca

The film Casablanca is often referred to as one of the greatest films of all time. It contains many universal themes that people can relate to, no matter what the time may be, which is why audiences return to it time and time again. One obvious theme is love. Love is seen between Lazlo and Ilsa, Rick and Ilsa and arguably, even between Renault and Rick and also between Rick and Sam. There is even love for France in the famous scene where the French loyalists sing the Marseillaise in a room full of Nazis. Most notably, the relationship between Rick and Ilsa is of a deep love that never seems to cease, even though she is now married to another man. The love Rick has for Ilsa is depicted in the scene in Rick’s Café where he tells Sam to play the song that he has always forbidden. By him ordering Sam to play this song, it is clear that Rick still has strong feelings for Ilsa since that song reminds him of his time with her when they were free and happy in France. Rick’s love for her, however, is ultimately shown in the final scene of the film where he lets Ilsa go on the plane with Lazlo knowing that he may never see her again for the second time. He sacrifices his feelings for her because he knows she will be happier with Lazlo, which is the ultimate test of love; giving up everything for your lover just so they can be happy. Overall, the film Casablanca has many tales of love, some unexpected, some unusual, and some heartbreaking, which makes it the classic film that it is. But this also allows for the question, besides love, what other factor makes a movie a "classic". Is it characterization, plot development or can pure love be what creates a movie that audiences will watch time and time again?

Casablanca

Before Rick Blaine ever enters the movie, his reputation precedes him as the snobby saloon-keeper that doesn’t drink with customers, ever. The viewer is automatically led to believe that Rick is not a social man-  he doesn’t want to spend time with others, no matter their importance or rank. This impression is not discounted by any means when Rick is eventually shown; he is playing chess by himself, a game usually intended for two. And finally, to solidify his already seemingly narcissistic and cynical mindset, Rick says the line, “I stick my neck out for nobody”. So, within the films first few scenes, Rick isn’t looking much like a romantic, caring man with a woman he adores as shown through his quick-witted yet harsh dialogue, anti-social hobbies, and all around unemotional demeanor… Until the entrance of Miss Ilsa Lund.

From the moment Ilsa and Rick lock eyes for the first time since their stolen days in Paris, Rick is a new man than the one just introduced. Now he is emotional, bitter, and most importantly, he is back to being Richard. He breaks his precedent of never drinking with customers instantly to sit with Ilsa and Laszlo, much to the surprise of Renault. He even goes so far as to say, “Ricky, you’re becoming quite human. I suppose we have to thank you for that, Mademoiselle”. This is the first notable evidence of Rick being inwardly affected by Ilsa’s newly reinstated presence in his life.

Another way the audience observes Rick's emotions resurfacing is through the Sam's song, "As Time Goes By." When Ilsa asks Sam to play it the first time, Rick enters suddenly and furiously, telling Sam he was never to play that song again. Sudden bursts of emotion, much less anger for a man so composed, is clearly out of character. Then the roles are reversed when Rick asks for the song to be played as he drank alone, in the dark. This second listening led to Rick reminiscing about Paris and Ilsa, about happier times in darker days. Only a broken-hearted man- who was once described as "[being] completely neutral about everything"- would find this song to be such a powerful catalyst for emotions he had learned to repress many years ago, showing his true feelings since Ilsa left him stranded in the rain in Paris with only a note to crush his dreams of their happily ever after.

Finally, Rick changes his mind about never sticking out his neck unless it's purely self-beneficial. He helps a young couple win money to escape Casablanca, which in no way benefitted himself- perhaps he saw himself and Ilsa in them, and tried to give them the life he could never have, and he risked getting arrested by Renault and Strasser by sending Laszlo out of the country with Ilsa when he himself could have gone and married the love of his life. Rick's outer composure never changed during these scenes, but his acts of unprecedented kindness showed the viewer, yet again, the undeniable impact of Ilsa Lund on Richard Blaine... However, the questions remains if these changes are permanent, and was Ilsa's reappearance was worth the emotional - but subtle- toll it took on Rick?

Casablanca

It is my honest opinion that the ending to the film Casablanca is the single most important scene for a few reasons. Reason the first: This film was made during a time when the movie romance, the kind of movie with a square jawed, tuxedo-wearing, leading man and a beautiful but slightly icy and mysterious leading lady, was king in Hollywood. Although Casablanca may follow these of the time conventions, the love story aspect of the film is, in a sense, thrown out the window when Rick and Ilsa cannot be together. This turn of events makes this movie much more memorable than the others of its time. Reason the second: It is only in the climax of the film that we truly see Rick's true character. For the entirety of the movie we are trying to figure out what motivates Rick and where his loyalties truly lie. In the end, I feel that Ilsa is his only real motivation, in that he never really makes a move in any direction during the rest of the film, and it is only when she shows up at his door that life is, in a sense, breathed back into him. Reason the third: It is in the finale that everybody finally puts their cards on the table and the truth comes out. We find out that after all of the ups and downs, Renault is one of the few trustworthy people in Casablanca. We also find out that both Rick and Laszlo loved Ilsa enough to let her go safely with the other man to America. Ironically, we are still never technically sure of whether she truly loves either of them, but, this being a movie from the 1940s, I think that we can safely assume that she did.

Casablanca

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?

A Model Character

In my eyes, Rick Blaine's character serves as a model for what a man should be, not just an American. While many cultures, faiths and races of people hold different values closer to heart than their counterparts they often have quite a lot of overlap, and more than people realize. People as a whole, often understand love and courage, or at the very least, good deeds.
Rick's past before he met Ilsa was similar Viktor's current life, fighting and rebelling against the Nazi regime. Mentioned previously in the film, he ran guns to Ethiopia and fought on the side of Spanish rebels against the Nazis. Now the second act is a very clear stance against the Nazi regime, but while watching the film it seemed that some people understood that Rick running guns to Ethiopia was disliked by the Nazis, but they didn't know exactly. Ethiopia was a large center of conflict for the Italian (At the time an Ally of Nazi Germany) campaign into Africa against the British. There were many cases of native populations receiving firearms and weapons and engaging in guerrilla warfare against the Italians.
For me at least, I find these direct acts more commendable than Viktor's simply because Viktor was a different sort of revolutionary. His actions of writing and leaking information against the Nazis were inspiring to others. His actions promoted the action of others, he was a leader which are necessary in any movement but I find that Rick's character at least is a more model single man. Rick to me is one who took the metaphorical bull by the horns instead of inspiring others to do so. I don't mean to play Viktor down, any action against the Nazis took immense courage, and I'm not simply saying that I like Rick because he's a tough-guy. If you were to ask me who I thought was a better man, the one who rallied others to action, or the one who created change or at the very least tried to by being the action itself, I would side with the latter. If I was going to rebel against a government I would feel much braver, and much more hopeful siding with the man who had experience in the field, than with one who had experience in politics and leadership. As the saying goes, an army of sheep led by a lion is more effective than an army of lions led by a sheep.
Another quality of Rick's that I find to be a quality of a model man is the quality of his love for Ilsa. When Viktor said that he and Rick love the same woman, he was speaking truthfully. I have no question that Viktor loves Ilsa to the highest of his heart, but the film left me feeling that something was there for Rick and Ilsa.
The feeling that he loved her enough to let her go to America to be at peace with a man that she loved, even though Rick and Ilsa both loved each other; that was real love to me. Viktor was willing to lead Ilsa around Europe while he did his revolutionary work against the Nazis, but as Rick gives his farewells to Ilsa he makes it very clear that he would not let her stay with him to live like that, even though she already had been for many years. Rick loved her enough to let her go, and that resonated with me as the film ended.
I think Rick is a model man, obviously not every guy growing up should or can be like Rick Blaine it's simply impossible. But I think to strive to achieve certain qualities about him that resonated with you as an individual is not a terrible thing to do. What aspects of Rick Blaine's character do you find resonating in yourself? What aspects of his character do you find yourself striving towards?

Casablanca

The ending of Casablanca can be simply summed up into one word: refreshing. It probably would have been a regular, and stereotypic Disney ending for Rick to defeat the police, kill Laszlo, and run away with Ilsa to America where they would have lived happily ever after. What a bore. What we have here is an old film, but a new ending. Throughout cinematic history we have constantly seen a yuppy, and sappy ending. The boy gets the girl, the sun emerges from the rain, and everything is perfect. In Casablanca we see a twist, true love. By sending Ilsa and Laszlo on the plane and by staying behind, Rick shows his true, everlasting, and passionate love for Ilsa. As seen in the picture below there is an honest sense of sadness in both Ilsa and Rick's face, which is what makes the ending of Casablanca a truly beautiful story.The fact is that Rick saved Ilsa's own safety, and jeopardized his even though he knows that the two will not get to share in affection, and devotion to each other is what makes the ending of this movie beautiful, and most of all, believable. Why wasn't Rick ever mad that Ilsa was in a relationship with him while she was married to Laszlo? Why is Ugarte difficult at the beginning of the scene, and than completely changes his demeanor to helping Rick by the end of the scene?