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Themes and film techniques
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Few movies in today's day and age display prominent themes of love and sacrifice that classic films were able to capture so flawlessly. Films such as Casablanca, by Michael Curtiz, were able to captivate their audiences with their array of magnificent actors and sublime cinematography that not only leave their viewers in awe, but also make them contemplate the world around them in a different manner. Actor Humphrey Bogart, who stars as Rick Blaine, an equivocal night club owner in the film, and actors Ingrid Bergman and Paul Henreid, Ilsa and Victor, are key components of what made this film into a classic. Through the acting of this film, its music, and its use of lighting, Casablanca is easily amongst the most notable classics films of American …show more content…
Rick Blaine and Ilsa Lund, played by Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman, were profoundly intricate and complex characters. The way the two actors interacted within the film the audience could feel the tension, and the genuine emotions between them. According to one source, “Because of their great acting, the acting where the actors experience genuine emotions that their audiences could clearly see and feel” (Comey 28). From the moment viewers first see Ingrid as Ilsa, she portrays herself as a dedicated wife to Victor. As the film progresses, the viewers can see the changes in Ilsa’s character, and her past emotions for Rick become more evident. It is details like these in the acting that bring out the depth in the characters, and make the connections between them seem more genuine and compelling to the audience. It makes the viewers want to see what happens between the two unfortunate lovers as they find their way to freedom. Humphrey and Ingrid did a spectacular job in Casablanca, and because of their acting, it easily was put among the …show more content…
These were created by Arthur Edeson, who was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Cinematography (IMDb n. p.). The main focus of the lighting was mainly on the character Ilsa, or Ingrid Bergman. The lighting was used on her from the sides, to give her face a gloomy, honest and unforgettable appearance. One author agrees that, “The films use of backlighting reinforces Ilsas purity and honesty” (Smith 2). However, the shadows that cast over Rick in the beginning shows that he is shrouded in anger and isolation. The lighting is used to convey the unspoken emotions of the characters to the audience, and allows them to feel the specific emotions of that scene. Using lighting, the director is able to create the tensions between the characters with very little dialogue between them. Using the art form of lighting techniques, Casablanca, the director was able to express emotions that would have otherwise seemed bland. Giving the ability to be realistically conveyed, this adds to the movies emotional appeal and captures the attention of any viewer that chooses to watch
In the essay “Beautiful Friendship: Masculinity & Nationalism in Casablanca”, Peter Kunze lavishly explains the magnificence of Michael Curtiz’s 1942 film Casablanca. Kunze focuses on how the movie not only highlights an exchange of relationships, but how the film has an underlying meaning between these relationships. He also implies that there is a more complex meaning behind every character in regards to their gender, economic, and social roles. The overall thesis of his reading is “the patriarchal ideology underlying the narrative commodifies Ilsa, leading Rick to exchange her with other men in an act of friendship and solidarity as well as to dissuade any perception of queerness between the strong male friendships in the narrative” (Kunze
Casablanca was directed in an era almost entirely dedicated to propaganda, as far as the film industry is concerned. The movie promoted America and the Allies similar to most films of the time, but it did so in a much different manner. The story told in Casablanca follows the main character, Rick, through his personal affairs and love tango with another lead character, Ilsa Lund. The film begins with Rick alone running his saloon based in Casablanca, in which he seems very indifferent to other people’s affairs, and comes off as very exclusive. He is delivered letters of transit by a man named Ugarte, which are nearly priceless to any refugee desiring to flee to the United States or another unoccupied country. Rick continues to act disinterested, reluctantly agreeing to hide the documents. He holds onto them even after Ugarte is killed for having stolen the letters, although there did not seem to be an...
In the film Casablanca, directed by Michael Curtiz, a clear juxtaposition exists between Rick and America. Despite Rick’s numerous similarities to America and his deep longing to be part of the country, a physical and psychological barrier separates the two. With America practically being on the opposite end of the world, Rick understands that he cannot abandon his responsibility to aid and influence others in Casablanca. Rick is willing to sacrifice his personal comfort and well-being for the greater good of society. This juxtaposition between America and Rick foreshadows that the United States would soon become involved in the war by overtly displaying Rick’s transformation when he confronts his troubled past.
Audience members, when seeing Casablanca, would associate it as a war film, and I agree with that, but to be more precise, it is a pro-Allie war film. The literary elements in the film are the reasons why it can be viewed this way, with the emphasis on the plot and characters. The timing of when the film was released also supports the idea of it being an anti Axis film. Although it was set in 1940, it was made a year after Pearl Harbor and America entering the war, but it was released right before the Allies had a meeting in Casablanca, so the filmmakers seemed to have wanted the audience to empathize with the Allies. The whole plot seems to be focused around how Rick is neutral at the beginning of the film, but because of an old flame coming into his life once again, he slowly becomes in favor of the Allie side.
Over time, the role of women in films and society has changed drastically. In the 1940’s, all women were portrayed as weak. Many different films during this time made female characters dependent on other male characters, however, fighting women have overcome this obstacle and broke the stereotype about them being weak. Casablanca is a movie directed by Michael Curtiz that was filmed in 1939 and takes place at the start of World War II. In this film, Ilsa is the main female character and she is always relying on two men throughout the plot, Rick and Laszlo. For example, in one of the scenes, Ilsa says to Rick, “you have to think for both of us” (Curtiz). This demonstrates the idea that Ilsa is and also portrays that Ilsa is so weak that she
During the film Casablanca, there were many occasions where each character had a connection with the other. The entire film seemed to be about a man who is going through multiple complications of reality consequences without informing and information towards his loved one. As you can see in the movie Rick is trying to solve and deal with as many unideal situations for the sake of keeping his partner LSA safe and unaware from the events at all times. The Films shows motivation between him trying to do whats best for him and Llsa who is the partner of Rick shows a high trait of curiosity and awareness. Rick is also a character who moves in and out of hard shadows, often within a frame by himself.
Casablanca is one of many movies to show the context of the world effort. As films like this were written to promote propaganda and view out war. Americans were portrayed as hero’s along with always ending up on the right side. Many on films like Casablanca inspired people to become American soldiers for World War II. Being a part of making these films were a big deal as well. Again during this time War was important to the people. Everyone and anyone who participated in any type of way were appreciated.
The film Casablanca will always remain an American classic. American people critiqued it as a high quality film over a time period, defining a classic and still today Casablanca remains a top American movie. Michael Curtiz, the director, shows World War II on the home front, using the setting to transfer the view point. The famous and popular Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, and Paul Henreid play the complex love triangle that leads the film to the stories purpose and theme. Casablanca illustrates liberal criticism through a hometown war rebellion setting, the nationalistic view points, and true love’s tribulations.
In Casablanca, we emerge with a feeling of hope, and joy, that the forces of good can win, and that eventually we will triumph over our enemies, wherever or whatever they may be. While slochky and romantic, Casablanca is a touching movie, and probably one of the best ever made. 1984 on the other hand, is a deep psychological thriller.
The Epstein brothers created Casablanca, a romantic adventure, like no other of its time. There are few movies that are loved by men and women alike. Casablanca is one such movie. It successfully combines action, adventure, love and romance into a film loved by all.
...t it is clearly obvious what is about to happen using an establishing shot. Casablanca also uses camera angle specifically portraying Captain Renault and Strasser as less powerful people in the office scene. Editing allows for smooth transitions between shots and allows for us as viewers to experience the scene like we are seeing through the characters eyes. Lighting provides us a mood of the scene, specifically when Rick first sees Ilsa for the first time since Paris. The Music plays a role in how we as audiences should feel while watching the movie. And without production design movies would not flow correctly. Every setting is specifically chosen to depict the location where the scene takes place. Casablanca is a quintessential film because it ties up all the formal elements of classical Hollywood. Without this movie Hollywood may be a completely different place.
“The greatest sacrifice is when you sacrifice your own happiness for the sake of someone else.” Sacrifice does not come easy, but one sacrifice can inspire many as seen in the novel One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. In the novel McMurphy sacrifices himself to undergo a lobotomy to inspire the other men on the ward that they aren’t crazy and they can stand up for themselves.
The lighting in this movie is very effective. It helps to establish the characters very well. The audience is helping in distinguishing the bad and the good characters through the lighting. The movie overall is very stylized. There are some other strange lighting patterns brought out by Hype Williams, but by far the most effective lighting patterns are ones that help to characterize the main players in the film.
Robert B. Ray categorizes Casablanca as "the most typical" American film. Ray uses Casablanca as a tutor text for what he calls the formal paradigm of Classical Hollywood as well as the thematic paradigm that addresses the conflict between isolationism and communitarian participation. The film is typical in its appropriation of an official hero Laszlo, who stands for the civilizing values of home and community, and an outlaw hero Rick, who stands for individu...
Films are a visual representation of the words in a screenplay. The director and actors of a film collaborate together to properly embody the characters the screenwriter had in mind when writing the script. The way a character is presented in the film influences the audience’s perception of the character. In the films Fargo and Casablanca, actors utilize various acting tools and character elements to influence the audience’s perception throughout the film.