Casablanca was not what I had expected. When I first began the movie I was disappointed to see that it was filmed in black and white. This is the only aspect of the film I disliked because I feel that without color it takes interest away from the film. In my opinion, color helps make that movie more visually interesting; it helps to create the atmosphere and mood of each scene. Apart from this, I actually enjoyed the film. I really enjoyed Rick and his attitude; I could see some of myself in him. He was very mysterious, uninterested, and cynical at the beginning of the film, but he slowly transformed. When I began watching the film I couldn’t decide if he was a good man, a bad man, or a corrupt self absorbed type of guy. I was excited to see the different sides of him; at the end of the film I realized he is a selfless and courageous man. I also really enjoyed the movie’s plot, especially the ending. I wasn’t sure what Rick would do because he had been so emotionally unstable. I was happy to see that he made the right choice by helping Ilsa and her husband, but I was also a little disappointed that he didn’t wisp Ilsa away himself.
I think the acting in this movie was appropriate for the time period from which it was created and produced. Of course, as I stated above, Rick was my favorite character. Humphrey Bogart, who played Rick in the film, did an amazing job of making Rick a man that watchers will either love or hate. He has a cool, swagger about himself, he’s intelligent, and he’s a smooth talker. Rick really had little emotion behind his actions at the beginning of the film, which made him seem cynical and mysterious. As the film went on, Rick became more animated, mostly in times of anger, but also during flash backs, where I was able to see that he had once known love and was able to express it and also at the end of the film when he made a very difficult decision. Ingrid Bergman, who played Ilsa, Rick’s ex lover, was quite dramatic. In some scenes, I thought her acting was a little corny, there would be slow motion close ups that seemed over dramatic, but they did convey emotion. Ilsa was very emotional and I enjoyed her with Rick, I think the two seemed to balance one another.
I think that this film could have many themes, depending on who watches it and how they interpret it. I think that one theme of this film is that it is better to have loved and lost then to never have loved at all. Rick is a business man whose life revolves around his work and his customers. When I was introduced to Rick, I thought he seemed depressed, sad, and angry. As the film progressed, Ilsa comes back into Rick’s life and at first he is hesitant towards her. However, when the film goes into flash backs of their past relationship, I was able to see that Rick was once happy and that the love he had for Ilsa was still there. Rick’s relationship with Ilsa was complicated, but when Rick saw Ilsa leave for Lisbon, it was obvious that his feelings for her were ever present and always would be.
I think another theme could be that it is difficult to remain neutral during war when you’re personally involved, surrounded, and engulfed by it. Rick is neutral in all aspects of the war, from politics to rules and regulations. He tries to remain neutral, but it’s obvious that it’s a much more difficult task then Rick intended it to be. He fights to stay neutral, but when a thief with letters of transit gets hauled off to jail, Rick feels for him. He also feels for Ilsa and her husband, who are denied access to leave Casablanca for America. Rick starts as a neutral party, but he eventually makes his choice to side with the allies.
This film really made me think about how I would act and react in a similar situation. It also made me think about my own strengths and weaknesses as an individual and as a significant other. I know I would not be able to live a life that is under the control of other individuals. The film allowed me to reflect on how lucky all Americans are, we live our own lives, however we wish, we are free. There are now laws in place that don’t allow discrimination, law enforcement brutality, or government corruption. I know that I would not have lasted long in Casablanca because I couldn’t imagine living life without liberty, justice, and freedom. I would probably have rebelled, which would have resulted in prison or more likely, death.
I know that I am a strong, driven individual, but I could never show the courage and strength of Rick. I would not be able to allow my lover to leave while I stayed behind. If it were my ex lover, whom I still had feelings for; I would feel the same way. I don’t think I could emotionally handle them leaving without me and I definitely don’t think I would be the one to help them leave. This may sound selfish, but if I were in Rick’s position, I would have taken Ilsa to America and left her husband in Casablanca or I would have left with the both of them. Rick was able to grow as an individual and let Ilsa leave him once again. I would want my lover/ex lover to be happy and safe, but not at the expense of my own safety. Rick made a selfless act, which made me respect him, while questioning myself.
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