Madeleine Lebeau who sings the Maseilles was married at the time to Marcel Dalio who played the croupier. They had escaped Paris to South America, having been sold forged transit papers. She returned to France after the war and was a film star. She died at 92, the last survivor of the cast.
This film was made in the middle of WW2 and lots of the actors are French refugees. When they sing the Marseillaise, the passion is real and those tears 15:16 are real. I've lost count of the number of times I've seen this film.
that song gets me standing & singing & I'm not even French. it's important to remember this was shot in the middle of the war timewise, the stakes for these characters & more than a few of the actors themselves were real & high.
One of the best cinematic scenes ever in film. And a cool tidbit that most people don't pick up on, is that Rick is a mercenary. Or, a former mercenary, anyway. It's how he came into his money, and partly why he won't go home, and has set up a new life in Casablanca.
@@TheLeprechaunjm Probable only 40 or 50 times for me. I used to watch it every Valentine's Day while I was single. That would be about 30 times right there.
"Casa-blanket" - hahaha If you didn't realize it, this movie was filmed WHILE the war was raging. This is one of my favorite classic movies. It has so much heart to it.
The film started production in January, 1942, only weeks after Pearl Harbor. It was released in November, 1942, just weeks after American troops landed in Casablanca.
One old movie you may like, especially this season (halloween) is, surprisingly, Arsenic And Old Lace. If you are a Cary Grant fangirl (and who isn't) you will love this (I was one of the leads in a high school stage version of this, way back in the day).
the ring is a Cross of Lorraine, a region in eastern France & the symbol of Free France under Charles de Gaulle who led the Free French forces & went on to be first President post war. it's a sign he can be trusted.
A list of great black and white films. Citizen Kane, The Maltese Falcon, The Treasures of Sierra Madre, Eyes Without a Face. The original versions of, Frankenstein, Dracula, The Wolfman, The Mummy. You should also try one of the silent films like Metropolis, Phantom of the Opera, or the Hunchback of Notre Dame. The last two star Lon Chaney.
Great reaction. This is such a classic. I'd recommend The African Queen, To Kill A Mockingbird, and The Maltese Falcon if you're looking for some other classic B&W movies.
Glad you liked this film. It is brilliant. My favourite black and white film is Goodbye Mr.Chips (1939), which earned the lead actor Robert Donat the best actor Oscar. I hope you watch more of the old classic films.
Some of my favourite movies are black and white. Bringing up Baby, Harvey, Arsenic and Old Lace, The Philadelphia Story. Maybe it's anything with Cary Grant, James Stewart or Katherine Hepburn in it. Talking of which, if you want some more Humphrey Bogart but this time in colour, The African Queen is another wartime romance.
I think there are 6-7 saying in the movie which are still used today. The showing of the Vichy Water bottle being thrown away was a symbol of the Vichy France Government being thrown away. Other have posted other great Bogart movies, but one I didn't see was "To Have and Have Not" 1944 with Lauren Becall, who he fell in love with. She stayed with him until his passing
The symbol in the ring was the Cross of Lorraine, a region in France that has been fought over for a while, and represented the cause of the Free French, those French people overseas and within France who continued to fight the Germans and the Vichy French government. There were several resistance organisations, which caused political splits in France that last until today (see 'The Day of the Jackal 1973' for some fallout). Much the same happened in Spain between the Nationalists and Socialists before, during and after the Spanish Civil War. Or what has been happening in Ireland for centuries.
Thank you. Your First Time Watching of Casablanca is wonderful. I have seen this movie at least 35 times since the early 1970s. I understand it was an “all cotton” movie meaning that because wool was set aside for the war effort cotton was used to create the wardrobe. Might not be true but certainly a good story. I have subscribed.
Other great Black & White movies: "Double Indemnity", "The Maltese Falcon," "Rebecca", "The Prisoner of Zenda" (1937!), "Sunset Blvd.", "The Best Years of Our Lives", "Shadow of a Doubt", and others.
Whenever I hear a Scott say "Grrreeeeat" all I can think of is Formula One racing driver Jackie Stewart doing TV commentary: "It's a greeeeeeeat day fer a race, a greeeeeeat day!"
You are one of my favorite reactors, so it was lovely to have you watching one of my favorite films. I'm happy you liked it, and I'm sure you will enjoy it even more after you see it again. I pretty much have it memorized. Some others you may enjoy with Humphrey Bogart "To Have and Have Not" the movie where he met his future wife, and "The Big Sleep. Other movies "Roman Holiday" with Audrey Hepburn, "It Happened One Night" with Clark Gable, "Notorious" with Cary Grant, and "Angels With Dirty Faces" with James Cagney to name just a few on the tip of the iceberg.
The ring had a "Cross of Lorraine" hidden it. The Cross of Lorraine was symbol of the French resistance. It wasn't so much a secret symbol, but rather the kind of thing that might be painted on a wall as a sign of defiance or next to an act of sabotage. Since it was so well known, it couldn't be used as a secret symbol. On the other hand, it was well enough known that large portions of the American audience would know what it meant, and therefore understand that this was a "secret" contact with the local Resistance.
I laughed more than I should have at that Casablanket joke. If you get a chance to see the 2005 Casanova BBC mini series with Peter O'Toole and David Tennant, you should.
@@DawnMarieX I love love love Casanova with Richard chamberlain. Hard to find! He was also in the smash hit The Thornbirds. And he was also in another huge hit: Shogun. No one has reacted to those movies! Other amazing movies: The Crying Game (movie) Dr Zhivago (Omar sharif) Saving Grace (Craig Ferguson, Brenda Blethyn) Little Voice (Brenda Blethyn, ewan mcgregor, Michael Caine) Persuasion (ciaran hinds, Amanda root) Donovan Quick (Colin firth) Pride and prejudice (Colin Firth) Hawks by Barry Gibb (Timothy Dalton) The far pavilions (Omar sharif) The fisher king (Robin Williams) The yellow rolls Royce (Omar sharif, Ingrid Bergman)
"casablanca" is spanish for "white house." its a city in morroco, n. africa. the writers, brothers Julius and Phillip G. Epstein and Howard Koch, had no ending to the film. while driving to work one day towards in the end of production, they discussed this problem. and they hit on the idea all at once - "round up the usual suspects" and "this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship" which was a perfect ending to an almost flawless film. this film established bogart as a "romantic" leading man where his past parts wrere mainly gangsters and tough guys. he's one of my favorite actors. so many films of his to recommend i'll just mention a few -"the petrified forrest," "the maltese falcon," "sahara," "treasure of the sierra madre," the african queen" and "the cain mutiny." ingred berman, in the late 50s, was the first actor in history to be offered a million bucks to make a single film. SHE TURNED IT DOWN saying, in essense - give me a script that i like and you won't have to pay me a million dollars. elizabeth taylor ended up being the first actor to RECIEVE a million dollars for her early 60s role as "cleoptra" in the huge flop of a film of the same title. actor's pay has been skyrocketing ever since.
Mm. One day writers will be recognised in their pay as well. Perhaps another film as good as Casablanca will be made. But I won't hold my breath waiting, as the writers say.
Classic B&W movies included: Citizen Kane (usually considered THE best movie of all time), Some Like It Hot (Marilyn Monroe's best film) Psycho, Maltese Falcon & African Queen (2 other Bogart flics, and almost all of his are great), On the Waterfront (Brando), and so many more!
12 Angry Men has to be on your list. The Day The Earth Stood Still. Hobson's Choice. Reach For The Skies. How Green Was My Valley. Way Out West. Some great B&W movies to get you started.
The insignia hidden in the ring was the cross of Lorraine, the symbol of the free French fighting with Charles DeGaulle. After the collapse of France in 1940 (just after the events in Dunkirk) France was divided in two zones, occupied France and unoccupied France. The figurehead leader of unoccupied France was Marshal Petain, on the big poster when the man without papers was shot at the start of the movie. Petain’s government was located in the city of Vichy, so Vichy France and unoccupied France are synonymous. Casablanca is under the control of Vichy but the Germans really call the shots. Note how Louis throws the bottle of Vichy water in the trash at the end. There are three standard interpretations of this movie. The first is the standard love triangle. Lisa is the point of focus,Victor and Rick are fighting for her. The second is the political interpretation. The movie is set in Dec. 1941, right before Pearl Harbor and America’s entry to the war. Can Victor Lazlo (Winston Churchill) move Rick (FDR) enough to abandon his neutrality to join the fight? Note, the movie is called Casablanca = White House. The third is a gay interpretation that actually makes sense but this post is already too long.
Re. b&w films you can't go wrong with, here in no particular order are four modern-era classics I'm sure you'll enjoy and I'm here for it if you should choose any of them as reaction subjects. I notice other commenters have already given heads-up on a couple of these: 1 Robert Wise's 'THE HAUNTING' (1963). Yes, the same Robert Wise who directed 'The Sound of Music. The genuinely scary effects are all done with clever use of angles, lighting and sounds, and the psychology of suggestion and vulnerability . You're never really sure what you're experiencing. It stars Julie Harris, Claire Bloom, Richard Johnson and in a rare non-musical turn, the athletic dance legend Russ Tamblyn ('West Side Story', 'Seven Brides for Seven Brothers', 'Tom Thumb') - and not forgetting the main villain, the sinister 'Hill House'. Based on the Shirley Jackson novel, not the later Richard Matheson short story. 2 Stanley Kubrick's 'DR STRANGELOVE' (1964) This archly satirical Cold War spoof features chameleon-like Peter Sellers in multiple roles, with great support from George C Scott, Sterling Hayden, Keenan Wynn and in his most memorable role, longtime cowboy sidekick Slim Pickens. Lots of quotable quotes. 3 Billy Wilder's 'SOME LIKE IT HOT' (1959) A gangster farce and romantic comedy featuring Marilyn Monroe, with Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon impersonating females in an all-girl orchestra in a bid to escape the 'mob'. Lots of laughs, especially from Lemmon's amorous pursuer, veteran vaudevillian Joe E Brown. 4 Robert Mulligan's 'TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD'(1961) Harper Lee's Pulitzer Prize novel, prescribed reading for senior high school students for decades, had only been published a year when it was brought to life on the big screen in this faithful adaptation, garnering a well deserved Oscar for Gregory Peck as a defense lawyer of remarkable integrity in the 'Deep South', the kind of role in which he excelled. It's also a story of lost childhood innocence as the events are narrated through the eyes of his young daughter. Classics all. Enjoy them
This is one of my all-time favourite movies... I've almost certainly watched it 100 times. My favourite part is when the crowd sings the French National Anthem to drown out the Germans. The woman, French actress Madeleine Lebeau, who is crying while singing died in 2016 at the age of 92. To many in France, she will forever be the face of French resistance.
For other classic B&W movies, I would recommend The Maltese Falcon with Humphrey Bogart, Sidney Greenstreet and Peter Lorre (all in Casablanca), North by Northwest and, if you like scary movies, Psycho or The Birds, both directed by Alfred Hitchcock.
"here's looking at you kid" is his way of saying "here's a toast to your beauty". P.S. My wife was French, survived the German occupation , and she loved this film.
So, you want more black and white recommendations ? Many film scholars and art students have long held that the greatest work of cinematic art ever is a 1941 film called, "Cat People". Please don't judge it by its title or the market it was made to appeal to in 1941. It is very deep and digs much further than the story being told. It is hypnotic and after the first few minutes you will not be able to look away. It is all about the subconscious. It is more than just a great film. It will give you feelings that do not exist anywhere else (Except in all of Val Lewton's other films.). It is not about the story but about where it takes your mind.
Dawn Marie, you said you wanted to watch it again, and you should! Casablanca is one of those rare movies that keeps getting better and better the more times you see it.
This was awesome thank you so much for the lovely reaction! If you’re asking, my vote for the best black and white move is the 1946 epic classic and my favourite film of all time “It’s a Wonderful Life!!”
10 CLASSIC BLACK & WHITE FILMS RECOMMENDED 1. GUNGA DIN (1939) 2. TO BE OR NOT TO BE (1942) 3. SULLIVAN'S TRAVELS (1941) 4. THE BISHOP'S WIFE (1947) 5. CITY LIGHTS (1931) This is a silent film 6. ALL ABOUT EVE (1950) 7. ON THE WATERFRONT (1954) 8. YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN (1974) 9. ED WOOOD (1994) 10. KING KONG (1933) But there are so many, many more...
Ingrid Bergman, one of the most beautiful stars ever. Here are s few of her movies for your consideration, I'm sure there are more: For Whom The Bell Tolls Gaslight Notorious Dr. Jeckyl and Mr. Hyde Murder On The Orient Express
It's amazing, this film. At some point in the film you hate nearly every character but then you learn something about them and you end up liking them all.
You should really check out To Have and Have Not, includes many of the same actors as Casablanca, but I think it’s even better. You actually get to watch Lauren Bacall and Bogart fall in love in real life, the film smolders with amazing chemistry between the two. It’s a really fun film!
Casablanca was in French Morocco. After the French surrendered to the Germans in WWII, the Germans occupied the north of France and the coastlines but about a third of France was left under French control. This supposedly neutral remainder of the country established their capital in the French town of Vichy. (sad for little Vichy; it was a spa town and known as a vacation area, but thier status as the head of this government has tainted the reputation of the town ever since.) Technically they were not allies of the Germans and took pains to at least appear as neutral non-combatants. The rest of France, especially the colonial areas were known as Unoccupied France. Though nominally under Vichy control many of the military outposts in these areas were riddled with anti-German sentiments and were loyal to the Free French Government in exile. The larger cities such as Casablanca were under Vichy control, which is why the Germans in the movie don't just arrest Lazlo. The movie takes place in 1941 while Vichy was still trying to appear as a neutral state; after the US entered the war, they openly supported the Nazi regime and many of their officials were tried for war crimes after the war.
I believe here's looking at you kid. I think it was like in the movie ghost when Patrick swayze says ditto I e. I love you. I love watching young people watch a classic movie for the first time. ✌️❤️🇺🇲
When it comes to black and white movies of this era I highly want to recommend the Charlie Chaplin movies "Modern Times" (1939?) and "The Dictator" (1940). Great movies, especially the latter, if you are into epic speeches. Also, not a black and white, but every movie buff should watch Gone With the Wind (1939) at least once, not least for its historic epic impact. Later I'll lure you into the japanese world of Akira Kurosawa, lots of gems to be found there! Thanks for uploading! Greetings from Sweden
I think you will enjoy black and white movie: His Girl Friday. You should also watch African Queen. See also Desk Set and anything else with Katherine Hepburn,
Humphrey Bogart probably made more great films than any other actor, Casablanca, The Maltese Falcon, The Big Sleep, The African Queen, The Treasure of Sierra Madre etc etc,
You are an astute movie reviewer, and exude great energy as you watch. There are so many B/W films with great character arcs, and rich storylines. Try the original "Nightmare Alley" with Tyrone Powers. Hitchcock's "Rope" is excellent also.
You were almost right about the police Captain. He wasn't trying to break up couples so he could get the woman. He was forcing women to have sex with him in exchange for the documents.
There are certainly movies with bigger budgets, movies with more superstars (though this cast is amazing), movies that are more clever. I just don't think there is a movie that's better. No scene is wasted, everything about it seems exactly as it should be and there's nothing in it I wish was different.
I'd suggest - another B & W classic (aren't they great ... ). It happened one night - also very famous, with great actors. easy to find lists of great old movies and there a LOT of em. go back to 1933 King Kong with Fay Wray.
If you love this masterpiece, then you will love To Kill a Mockingbird, Roman Holiday, and Breakfast at Tiffany's. All brilliant. But I'm sure many other people will recommend them too.
You must watch _The Thin Man._ Another classic black and white film that will make you fall in love with the two main characters, Nick and Nora. (William Powell and Myrna Loy) Their dynamic together is electric, and in fact it was their chemistry together in an earlier movie that caused them to be cast together in this one. It was so popular in 1934 that a whole series of movies were made with the characters, although they kinda decrease in quality as they go along.
Humphrey Bogart is one of the greatest, realistic, tough guy actors ever. Peter Lorre (the guy cashing his chips) is one of the greatest character actors ever. Another fantastic film is The Maltese Falcon, it has them both in it as well.
The other classic films with Humphrey Bogart are The Big Sleep and Maltese Falcon, both very fun to watch for different reasons..and which might take several viewings each to fully follow the plots. At that point in film making history, the best movies were known for that quality - lots going on to keep you in suspense!
Great black & white movies: 1) Remember the Night (1940)-Pretty Woman (1991) was a remake 2) Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1941)-Just great 3) The Maltese Falcon (1939)-greatest detective movie ever. Period. Same cast (almost) as in Casablanca. 4) Ball of Fire (1941)-unconventional, but great rom-com 5) Roman Holiday (1953) Another great rom-com
I'm so glad you watched this. It really is one of the best films ever; when they were making it, they had no idea it would take off like this. Your brain processes so much that's hard to put into words, but I think there are things we all pick up on. Rick was burned by love and burned by life, and retreated to Casablanca. But at the end, he found himself and his way again. That's why people love the ending. It was kind of funny that you didn't think Peter Lorre looked like a murderer, because he was like THE murderer in all the old films. There's a German film, "M", where he's a serial murderer of children. You know the Scottish musician Al Stewart? Ever heard "Year of the Cat"? Listen to the opening verse sometime: On a morning from a Bogart movie In a country where they've turned back time You go strolling through the crowd like Peter Lorre Contemplating a crime
@@kathyastrom1315 Now I want to watch "M" again, but believing the whole time that Peter Lorre is innocent. "He can't be guilty, he doesn't look like a killer!"
Morocco was a French colony at the time & France was under Nazi control. Casablanca was a transit point between war-torn Europe & not-so-war-torn Africa. if you had the means & some luck if you got here you could leave the war behind.
Great reaction to a great movie !! Another great black and white movie you should try is "Dr. Strangelove". It's a dark comedy from 1964 about nuclear war. It was directed by the legendary Stanley Kubrick and is also considered one of the greatest movies of all time.
Nuke flicks - try ' on the beach ' 1959 I think, the movie before Psycho for A. Perkins. not a single bit of action other than a car race, but...... also the inspiration for the great song by Canadian B. Dobson ' Morning Dew'. made famous by Grateful Dead.
I scrolled down to suggest Dr. Strangelove, too. It's a pity more people my age haven't seen it, because it's an extremely quotable movie but nobody understands the references.
One of the best movies ever made. I'm a big fan of Humphrey Bogart, and Ingrid Bergman is one of the most beautiful women ever. So many great quotes came from this movie. At the time, of course, no one expected this to be a classic. It was just one of many films made by that studio that year. There was no guarantee that it would even be finished. They went through several directors, each with his own vision. One director wanted to get rid of "As Time Goes By" and commission an original piece for the movie, but by the time he was hired, the song had been so woven into the movie, it would have meant reshooting several scenes and it would have been impractical to change it. The script was still being written and revised as they were filming. Nobody knew as they were filming whether Ilsa was going to go with Victor or stay with Rick. Other movies with Ingrid Bergman worth seeing are Gaslight, Anastasia, and Alfred Hitchcock's Spellbound. Any Bogart movie is worth watching, but the best, in my opinion are The Maltese Falcon, Treasure of the Sierra Madre, Key Largo, and The African Queen. If you want to see Bogart do comedy, try We're No Angels or Sabrina.
Ingrid has a very famous career , many acting awards, Oscars , Specialized Swedish films etc the last in early 1980 's I think. minor tidbit, She was several inches taller than H.Bogart
A great black and white movie is _It Happened One Night_ with Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert. Its a comic love story. I think you’d like it. I forgot: Humphrey Bogart and Katherine Hepburn star in the black-and-white movie _The African Queen._ it’s a classic adventure/love story and both of them are great in it.
5:47 The symbol in the ring is the Cross Of Lorraine used by the Free French Forces at the time, fighting Nazi occupation of France and the war in general. The Cross goes back to 16th century France. 13:13 LOL! They were practicing their English for Carl, but it needs a little work. 😁 Definitely watch it again. Though it's a romance movie it's also a war movie. My mom was 11 when Casablanca came out in early '43 when the US was in the war a little over a year. My grandmother took her to see it while my grandfather and several great uncles were overseas fighting in it. They both told me that the audience loudly applauded, cheered, many standing after Victor Laszlo led the French national anthem, and the crowd really let loose when Louis told his men to "Round up the usual suspects" at the end! The movie came out at the time of the Casablanca Conference, a meeting there between President Roosevelt, Prime Minister Churchill, General Charles de Gaulle (leading the Free French Forces for real, and who also signed the "letters of transit" in the movie), and others there where they discussed WWII plans, so that drew many people in to see the movie. About any Bogart movie you do would be a good one, but for a good guide on older movies find the "AFI Top 100 of All Time" American Film Institute's website where you'll see Casablanca there very high on the list and many more, excellent older movies to consider. In color and B&W! ✌😎
Audiences cheered for the French National Anthem AND when Rick tell the Nazis, "There are certain sections of New York that I wouldn't advise you to try to invade."
A great follow-up to this film would be the b&w espionage thriller NOTORIOUS (1946) directed by Alfred Hitchcock starring 2 of the same actors from Casablanca. Beautiful reaction. Thanks!
I wanted to suggest Notorious also, it is a nice transition from Casablanket into the world of Alfred Hitchcock: there are many many good films by him.
Favorite conversation: NAZI: "What about when we invaded your beloved Paris?" Rick: "Its not necessarily my beloved Paris." NAZI: "And when we invade London?" RICK: "When you get there, ask me." NAZI: "And what about when we invade New York?" RICK"…there are certain sections of New York, Major, that I wouldn’t advise you to try to invade.“ Dawn: watch "Gangs of New York" and you'll understand why.
@@DawnMarieX No, you really don't. It's not a great film. The poster was just trying to give an example (however unneeded) of how tough New York is supposedly. He might as well suggested Escape from New York, or the Seven Ups.
Dawn Marie, I second the suggestion to react to "It's A Wonderful Life" (1946), a black & white film starring Jimmy Stewart. It is an American Christmas, fantasy, drama.
It's crazy how many of the most classic movie lines come from this movie: "Here's looking at you kid" "Sam, play it" "We'll always have Paris" "I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship" "Of all the joints in the world, she walks into mine"... Wonderful!
Thanks for watching this classic! If you think you like B&W movies, and you like Bogey (Humphrey Bogart), I would suggest you try To Have And Have Not (1944), the first of the famed 'Bogey & Bacall' movies (Lauren Bacall). They made 4 very good movies in the 40s, and this was their first - they got married while making it. It's very similar to Casablanca. Great reaction!
"I don't think it was him. He doesn't seem like a murderer." Funny though, the actor in question (Peter Lorre) had his big break in a German film called "M" where he played a child murderer.
‘Casablanca’ is renowned and is justly acknowledged as one of the most romantic films of all time but it is much more than the tale of a love triangle. Of course, it shows that the power of love can affect the human psyche, as demonstrated by Rick’s metamorphosis. This film has so many levels to it that it takes many viewings to appreciate them. The main theme is not romance but self-sacrifice as the film’s message to the world at war is to give up the personal agenda for the common cause. It reminds wartime audiences, many of whom have loved ones fighting abroad, that their situation is the same as that of Rick, Ilsa and Victor. The screenplay is so intelligently written. It is a masterpiece of complexity, containing subliminal political opinions and messages all carried along on a thrilling plot with brilliant one-liners and memorable quotes, comedic elements together with contemporary, social commentaries. Basically, the film is politically motivated because it is a plea to America to join the war. Please note that the action takes place in pre-Pearl Harbour, December, 1941. This is the the first non-musical movie to use music almost as an another protagonist, (which Tarantino does now). For example, ‘As Time Goes By’ is a valuable recurring theme and, in Paris and Rick and Ilsa dance to ‘Perfidia’ which means untrustworthiness. Michael Curtiz’s direction is multi-faceted: Documentary, Film Noir, German Expressionism, Flashback etc. He is the master of creating the plot via seamlessly connecting a series of rapid-fire vignettes. POINTS OF INTEREST AND NOTES FOR SUBSEQUENT VIEWINGS. Rick’s initial selfishness, (I stick my neck out for nobody’), is a metaphor for USA indifference. It must be remembered that the events and politics are hard to comprehend and put into perspective for modem audiences than in the actual time when the film was made. The script is a 'State of the Union' address, both for home and foreign policies. There are references to Civil Rights as embodied in Sam and, of course, the debate about America’s involvement in the conflict. Each character represents a country e.g. Two Japanese plotting . The Italian on the tail of the German. American indifference. French collaborators, the British robbed by foreign policy. Even the Balkans are mentioned via the Bulgarian couple. Rick’s actions symbolise the USA in its change in policy from isolationism to participation and ‘….the beginning of a beautiful friendship…’ is the USA and Europe joining forces to fight Nazism. There is subtle direction. For example, Ilsa wears black and white clothes and is cast in shadows and in a mirror which portrays the ambiguity of her role. The ‘La Marseillaise’ scene is the pivotal moment in which both Ilsa and Rick realise that saving Victor is more important than their own personal relationship. It also comes in just as Rick and Victor are about to argue over Ilsa but both drop the issue when they hear the music. This scene is rousing now but imagine how it must have felt for audiences right in the middle of the war when Germany seemed invincible and we need to put it in perspective in terms of world events full of Nazi domination. The facial close-ups used throughout the film speak a thousand words: but particularly note Ilsa during ‘La Marseillaise’ when her expressions show her admiration of Victor’s power and her realisation that this must be preserved at all costs. In any case... there is so much alcohol!!!! POINTS TO WATCH ‘It’s December, 1941 in Casablanca: what time is it in New York?... I bet they are asleep all over America’. PEARL HARBOUR ‘Even Nazis can’t kill that fast’ CONCENTRATION CAMPS ‘I don’t buy or sell human beings..’ CIVIL RIGHTS The Bulgarian couple keep appearing as symbols of hope and determination. In the bar room fight over Yvonne, Rick attacks the German only and not the Frenchman. Captain Renault dumps the bottle of Vichy water to represent his rejection of the Nazi- collaborating French Government which was located in Vichy. Just one example of the excellent and complex scriptwriting occurs immediately after the roulette scene. The girl thanks Rick for letting her husband win and Rick replies, ‘He’s just a lucky guy’, which, on the face of it, refers to the gambling, but, in Rick’s mind, means that the husband is ‘lucky’ because his partner truly loves him.
