Synopsis
Set during WWII, Rick is the owner of a café that becomes a meeting place for refugees seeking to escape to America. Rick gathers two letters of transit. When Ilsa, Rick’s former lover from Paris, arrives with her husband Victor, she explains to Rick that the reason she left him in Paris was to care for Victor after he was shot trying to escape a concentration camp that he was put in for being a resistance leader. Victor wants an exit visa to escape the Germans who are after him but Major Strasser demands that Captain Renault (the Chief of Police who has neutral political views) keeps him in Casablanca. Originally Victor goes to Rick’s to get the letters from Ugarte but he is arrested so Victor has to find another way. Isla attempts to obtain the letters from Rick but is unable to and tells Rick she still loves him. Rick agrees to help Victor, leading Isla to believe that she will stay behind with Rick. Victor is arrested and Rick makes a deal with Renault to release him so that Rick can set him up to be arrested for a much major charge (having the letters of transit). rick double-crosses Renault and holds him at gunpoint forcing him to help them. At the airport, Rick makes Ilsa get on the plane to Lisbon with Victor. Major Strasser arrives and tries to intervene, Rick shoots him and when his men arrive Renault covers for Rick by telling them to “round-up the usual suspects” thus taking the suspicion off Rick. Renault and Rick make a plan to leave Casablanca together and begin “a beautiful friendship”.
First Impressions
At the beginning of the film, I was admittedly confused by the plot as I couldn’t tell who was on what side. However, as the film progressed and the story of Rick and Isla took dominance I was able to follow. This kind of film is one I am unfamiliar with; in fact the only black and white feature-length film I have seen is It’s a Wonderful Life (Frank Capra, 1946).
Overall I found the film intriguing to watch due to its old fashioned nature and I enjoyed the dynamics between certain characters especially Sam and Rick, Isla and Rick, and Renault and Rick. However, I think more contextual knowledge of the historical significance of the film’s plot would help me to appreciate the film more.
Why do you think it’s so popular/influential?
Again, it is hard to answer this question without knowledge of the context in which the film was made in relation to film technology and progress. I think that the film was moderately successful in America at the time of its release in 1942 due to the cultural relevance of the story taking place in World War II which the US joined in 1941 thus allowing the audience to feel a sense of relatability; the love story element of the film was also highly popular at the time especially due to the tragic seperation of the two central characters. It is also highly possible that viewers in 1940 had never seen something like this before. My guess is that over time, the film has become appreciated as it is very well made and effective despite the restrictions (e.g. technological) on filmmaking in the 1940s. The storyline is also quite honourable due to the representation of “neutral” sides to the war and the apparent “co-existence” of opposite sides when coming together in Rick’s café. Furthermore, the portrayal of themes such as sacrifice, love, friendship and comradery can be appreciated, no matter how much time passes, as universal themes not only in films but in everyday lives.
Bethany Lee's Film Studies Blog 