Duality In Casablanca

Casablanca, a 1942 romantic drama directed by Michael Curtiz, is regarded as one of the most formative and instrumental pieces of American cinema. Starring Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman and Paul Henreid, the film follows an American during the World War II era who must choose between the love that he has for a woman and assisting her husband who is a Czech Resistance leader escape the city of Casablanca. The film explores themes of individuality, and the duality between helping someone and essentially becoming subject to their intentions. Furthermore, the story revolves around interpreting and understanding the intentions of its characters and what they represent, as well as how they present themselves. This essay will analyze these characters

This scene is crucial as it shows Ilsa’s controversial feelings caused by the relationship she cultivated with Rick in the past, due to the misunderstanding that lead her to believe Victor was dead. In a scene that follows, we see Victor come to Rick to talk with Rick, not knowing that his wife is in the other room. One particular shot stands out in this scene; as Rick is talking to Victor outside, we see Ilsa standing in a separate room, hiding from her husband. She has the choice of following Victor out of Casablanca, or staying with Rick. In this shot, Ilsa is standing against the wall, with her reflection showing a clear juxtaposition from a mirror beside her. Both of these faces command an equal amount of the frame, and her clear confusion is shown heavily in the way that she stands and the expression on her face. This shot represents the dual feelings Ilsa has for both Victor and Rick, and the decision that Ilsa must make. What's interesting is the lighting that's captured in this shot. Ilsa's face is well-lit and pronounced in her actual face, but the mirrored version of her is far darker and more shadowy, and the expression that she has appears to bare two different connotations, depending on which version of herself the audience chooses to focus upon. It can be argued that her actual face represents the love she has for her husband the real hero. In contrast, the face in the mirror represents her reprised feelings for Rick, the outlaw hero. Thus, the dark shadows being a symbol for repression, and a sense of