Dana Polan discusses how American cinema changed during WWII as it began to reflect propagandist messages and wartime affirmation. However, creating films that had both propaganda and entertainment value was not an easy task. Filmmakers had to seamlessly tie together a Hollywood story and a larger narrative of war engagement. Casablanca is an example of a film that successfully executed the duality of entertainment and propaganda by using the  "conversion narrative", a narrative in which a person who is indifferent and cynical about the war converts to become involved and supportive of the war effort.
    A supreme example of "conversion narrative" can be found in the character development of Rick. His initial cynicism ultimately gives way to a commitment to a greater good. Despite his final decision, the ending of the film remains ambiguous and viewers are uncertain of what the characters will do when they part, and more importantly how the war will end. In this sense, viewers at the time of the films release could relate to the ambiguity of the characters onscreen, as they too understand the concepts of love, loss, and confusion during wartime. Rick's conversion process makes him a much more identifiable character with American audience compared to the clear-cut and one-sided narrative that surrounds Lazlo. Rick is human in his multi-faceted nature and is therefore a character that speaks to the American audience, making him the perfect mouthpiece for political messages.

 

     This article talks about the "vacillating realities" that exist throughout Casablanca. In other words, how Michael Curtiz conflates the imaginary and the real in order to create a film that ultimately promotes the message of US involvement in WWII. The film is laden with inaccuracies and historical flaws. One example is the discrepancy between the cinematic depiction of Casablanca and the real city of Casablanca. Production designers chose to present an entirely fictitious city, where not a single building of the French or Moroccan town is present and where there is only the dark and the light, the good and the bad-where gray does not exist. The article states, "the camera's lens became America's prosthetic eye, and where there was once an incomprehensible chaotic world, now a clear image of right and wrong came sharply into focus." The result of this set design is a ‘new' Casablanca that gives the American audience a clear-cut vision, one in which the unifying idea of the film is transparent.

     Another example of an inaccuracy in the film is the wrongful depiction of uniformed Germans in Casablanca; studio writers knew that the German army did not set foot in Casablanca during WWII, but their presence enhanced the message of the film. By depicting fictitious Germans, Americans, Frenchmen, and Resistance leaders in simple exchanges and encouraging the viewers to associate each character with his or her respective nation and international policies, the film efficiently transforms a complex political situation into an easily comprehendible set of social relationships.

     This article is of the utmost importance for my thesis because it exhibits the film's focus on political effectiveness over historical accuracy in the attempt to communicate an ideology to viewers. It reveals the nuanced political propaganda that is embedded in the infrastructure of the film, whether it is in the narrative, characters, or set design. This concept enhances the idea that the film serves as a vehicle for propaganda in a way that does not overtly attack viewers. The article is of particular interest to the thesis because it shows us that if a number of historical flaws are intentionally present, it is because they were deemed necessary in order to accomplish an objective: to sedate the general American opposition to US involvement in WWII.

 

Citation:

"'Casablanca' and United States Foreign Policy." Raskin, Richard. Film History. Vol. 4. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1990. 2 vols. 153-164.

The following excerpt from a film history book by Rishard Raskin of the University of Indiana places Casablanca as a film in the grander scheme of historical context.  Raskin gives the valuable background of the war effort at the time and demonstrates the direct correlation with the historical events in French North Africa, Europe, and the plot and motifs of the film.  Raskin explains the significance of the Casablanca Conference and the exterior significance of the city as an important meeting place that changed the course of World War II.  Raskin demonstrates that the film had an impact on the decisions of Roosevelt and that the film was a classic example of using a romantic plotline to cast meaning over strong political undertones.  Raskin further discusses the political development of the region both before and after the film’s release and how it changed many of the policies of the region.  Ultimately, Raskin demonstrates how Casablanca was influenced by the political, economic, and wartime climate to create an influential World War II propaganda film.  Additionally, Rakin shows how Casablanca played an important role in the development of U.S. foreign policy and domestic attitudes towards both the small city and towards the United States involvement in the war as well.

 

 

The 1942 Warner Brothers film, Casablanca, is one of the most famous romance films in history; yet, the film's characters, setting, film techniques, and motifs create an undertone of American propaganda. With subtle tendencies towards antifascism and supporting the Free French movement, the film demonstrates Hollywood's support against the Nazi regime in Europe.

Citation:

 

Blakley, Johanna. "Propaganda, Pop Culture & Public Diplomacy.” Warner’s War: Politics, Pop Culture & Propaganda in Wartime Hollywood 73-77.

 

In the book entitled Warner’s War: Politics, Pop Culture & Propaganda in Wartime Hollywood, Johanna Blakley discusses the influence the Warner Bros. studio had during the wartime and how its films and cartoons influenced public opinion and war sentiment during the time.  In this chapter, Blakley specifically talks about the Warner Brothers studio and how it was deeply entrenched in the pro-war movement by creating pro-war, patriotic, and antifascist films and cartoons.  The article briefly talks about how Casablanca was a prime example in which Warner Bros. used a romantic theme as a stage for propagandistic undertones which supported aiding the Allied European powers.  As a whole, the article demonstrates Warner Brother’s clear intention of spreading propaganda which supported the antifascist movement.  This is important because it establishes a clear connection between a pro-war studio and Casablanca.  This ultimately demonstrates that the studio intended to have propagandistic undertones in its film.   

Citation:

 

Polan, Dana. "Stylistic Regularities (and Peculiarities) of the Hollywood World War II

Propoganda Film." Warner’s War: Politics, Pop Culture & Propaganda in Wartime Hollywood 38-47.

 

In the book entitled Warner’s War: Politics, Pop Culture & Propaganda in Wartime Hollywood, Dana Polan discusses the influence the Warner Bros. studio had during the wartime and how it’s films and cartoons influenced public opinion and war sentiment during the time.  In this portion of the book, Polan demonstrates the particular influence and propagandistic influence of Casablanca and how this film changed the typical style of Hollywood in order to incorporate the propaganda of wartime.  Polan discuss the romantic overtone of the film and how this theme keeps in line with the traditional film style of Hollywood at that time.  However, she goes further to demonstrate how this romance accentuates the strong division between the two different conflicting powers in the film.  This chapter serves as an important connection between propaganda and the film in that is demonstrates how the simple romantic theme is enhanced to create a protagonist hero with whom the audience can closely relate and sympathize for.  She portrays how this sentiment can be perverted to support his goals of suppressing the fascist powers.  Ultimately, Polan demonstrates how the romance theme closely ties into the film’s wartime significance as a part of World War II propaganda.

Citation:

Dirk, Timothy. "Casablanca (1942)." FilmSite. 1 December 2008 <http://www.filmsite.org/casa.html>.

 

In this review of the film, Tim Dirk goes beyond simple analysis of the plot and the film’s intrigue as one of the greatest films of all time in order to demonstrate some of the underlying messages that are conveyed by the film’s editing techniques, lighting, scenes, and character development.  Dirk begins by describing how the film’s use of lighting in the introductory map to convey a protagonist conflict between the lightly colored Allied countries on the map and the dark Axis countries.  This subliminal coloring of the two differing forces, generates a political tone to the film in which the Axis powered are conveyed as the antagonist.  Such sentiment only becomes enhanced as the film progresses.  Dirk then describes the introductory scene in which Casablanca is displayed as a chaotic and disorderly city full of crime and corruption.  This enhances the antifascist undertones in that it remarks poorly on the Nazi “control” of the neutral city.  Dirk also points out several ironic montages such as the French slogan “Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité” which had not been replaced by the Vichy power, and the imprisonment of citizens in “Le Palais de Justice”.  Dirk then moves to other images that are portrayed throughout the city which further augment the propagandistic and antifascist undertones of the film.  He then moves to analyze the dialog throughout the movie and point out the subtle tones and words in the script which convey a strong connection with the Resistance Movement and a rejection of the fascist ideology.  In all, this review offers a close analysis of the film’s techniques of filming, set, script, and imagery in order to demonstrate its political influence and use as propaganda.

Citation:

Wilson, Kristi. "Casablanca." St. James Encyclopedia of Popular Culture. Gale Group, 1 January 2000.

In this article, Kristi Wilson gives a brief summary of the plot of the movie and expands on this superficial interpretation of the film by analyzing how the film presented a strong antifascist sentiment.  Wilson begins by contrasting the different characters in the film.  To begin, Lazlo and Isle gain sympathetic compassion from viewers on account of their troubling situation and the flashback history of chaos they experienced in Vichy-France.  This is used the make the viewers feel empathetic towards the French Resistance.  A deeper connection with such sentiment is achieved through the development of Rick’s character.  Rick, whose involvement in the resistance becomes increasingly apparent as the movie progresses, creates a heroic character image in which the viewers support his endeavors.  Wilson explains how such support is augmented by the viewers’ hope that his romantic endeavors succeed.  In contrast with these characters, the German officers are portrayed as being stiff and unyielding.  Garnering little sympathy, but rather gaining distaste for their apparent egotism, the German characters are continuously portrayed as being corrupt and malevolent.  Such stark contrast, as Wilson states, creates a classic protagonist vs. antagonist in which there is a strong political undertone against the power and authority of the Nazi command.  Consequently, the film demonstrates a strong antifascist motif by the way it contrasts the characters and their personal objectives and dispositions.  

Citation:

"The Casablanca Conference, 1943." Casablanca Conference. Casablanca: U.S. Department of State, 1943.

This source comes from the U.S. Department of State and gives the historical significance and background of the Casablanca Conference of 1943.  This conference, which took place between January 14^th and the 24^th of 1943, served as a meeting between U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill.  Only a few weeks after the release of Casablanca, these two powerful figures met in the city to discuss the strategic plans for the Allied forces against the Axis powers.  They determined to further cut off Japan, concentrate efforts in Germany, begin by removing Italy from the war, and make unconditional surrender an ultimate goal so they could guarantee “the destruction of the philosophies in those countries which are based on conquest and the subjugation of other people.”  This is significant because it shows the clear political connection with the film and the film’s location.  The film sparked a large interest not only in Casablanca, but also the political implications of the war.  The clear connection of the two at the Casablanca Conference created a much larger appeal on account of the film’s success.  In addition, the historical account also shows that the Anglo-American aid arrived in French North Africa in November 1942, the same time at which the movie was released.  Ultimately, this demonstrates a clear political connection with the film.

Citation:

Crowther, Bosley. "'Casablanca' With Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman." New York Times 27 November 1942.

 

This is the original film review from the New York Times written on November 27, 1942 after the film’s release.  This review, unlike the myriad of reviews on the films, gives the unique perspective of an erudite audience of that specific time period.  The reviewer not only heralds the film as one of the greatest of all times, but remarks about its unique story and subtle tendencies.  He demonstrates how Warner uses the action-packed thrill of the setting to enhance the romantic overtone to the film.  Most importantly, the author describes how the film contained a strong political message.  He writes that the film “inject[ed] a cold point of tough resistance to evil forces afoot in Europe today”.  With this statement, it is apparent that the film was viewed as a propagandistic tool of the war effort.  Its antifascist undertone and subliminal support for aiding the European cause against the Nazis is clearly demonstrated and understood at the time.  This further shows how the film was viewed not only as a great romantic drama film, but also a powerful piece of propaganda that influenced its audiences.

Citation :

Leon, Charls L. Ponce de. "Progressive Politics and American Dreams." Review in American History September 2008: 348.

Charles L. Ponce de Leon provides a critical analysis of Lary May’s book, The Big Tomorrow: Hollywood and the Politics of the American Way.  Leon begins by giving a background into film history and how cinema developed in a political manner.  He demonstrates how it became politically powerful and how it can be interpreted in revisionist studies through cultural anthropology, sociology, literary criticism, and social history.  It is with these methods that Leon further critiques the work of May’s book and demonstrates the true power of cinema.  Leon demonstrates how cinema’s production can be used to “peddle products that are subversive” and create a specified appeal for audiences.  In this manner, he claims that producers are able to use film techniques to create an exact interpretation which can vary little amongst audiences in the grand scheme.  Leon also states that cinema uses political implications to challenge the authority of the elites.  Such is seen in the production of Casablanca.  Leon then progresses his critical analysis towards films of the 1940’s and how they were heavily influenced not only by the lingering effects of the New Deal and the Great Depression, as can be seen by the dramatic mise-en-scene of the city of Casablanca in the film.  He also demonstrates how “progressive moviemakers eagerly contributed their talents to government service and a host of pro-war, antifascist films”. Leon then moves to analysis of the cultural, social, and political implications of the film Casablanca specifically.  He contends that the films played an important political role to the antifascist movement and demonstrated a strong propagandistic desire to aid the resistance movement.  However, he also notes that Rick’s “loss of independence” later hurt the film’s political undertones and created an opposite sentiment later on in the sixties.  In all, Leon critiques May’s book which discusses the political and social effects of early cinema and discusses the value they have towards audiences.  With this, he lends support to Casablanca’s social significance as a film of antifascism and pro-war significance.

 

Citation:

Sexton, Timothy. "Casablanca and the Use of Mise-en-Scene in the Construction of Propaganda." 2008 29 January. AssociatedContent. 1 December 2008 http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/558967/casablanca_and_the_use_of_miseenscene.html?page=3&cat=37.

 

Timothy Sexton, a Hollywood Film historian and critic, writes an article concerning the films stylistic elements which enhance its antifascist and propagandistic nature.  Sexton begins by describing how the film’s introduction sequence, although quite common for Hollywood at that period, used some subtle elements to create pre-construed notions of propaganda and protagonism.  To accomplish this, Sexton explains how the films uses romantic images juxtaposed with contrasting lights and darks to insinuate a propagandistic tone of good and evil.  This contrast is little elaborated in the film when the viewer is introduced to the scene of Casablanca.  Sexton describes the mise-en-scene of the city as being chaotic and disorderly.  Again using contrasting dark and light, the city has an aura of destruction which creates a critique of how the Nazi party, the predominant power in the “neutral” city, is maintaining order.  Sexton further demonstrates the seeming difference between the inhabitants of Casablanca and the seemingly out of place officers of the German army as well as Renault.  He suggests that this created a view that the residents were a unified group whereas the Nazis were aliens to the city.  This is further demonstrated by Sexton’s close analysis of the costume selection.  Rick, who usually appears in a white suit, is portrayed as an innocent and heroic protagonist.  To contrast, Renault and other officers are portrayed as overly glamorous.  This glorified nature of their costume creates a strong propagandistic tone when such overblown figures of authority are revealed for their corruption.  In addition, the movie’s use of voice-over narrative generates further association with the protagonist objectives while the contrasts of dark and lights create a definite case of good vs. evil in which there is moral ambiguity.  Ultimately, Sexton demonstrates how mise-en-scene, lighting, costume, and other elements influence the film and form its strong propagandistic outlook against fascism.

 

 

Citation:

University, San Diego. Casablanca. 1 December 2008 http://history.sandiego.edu/gen/st/~ksoroka/hollywoodfilm.html

An article from the Film History department of the University of San Diego, this short reference demonstrates a crucial interpretation of a scene in which Lazlo (Paul Henreid), a French refugee, begins singing “La Marseillaise”, the French national anthem, as a direct challenge to the German officers who occupy Rick’s (Humphrey Bogart) nightclub.  The article explains how this action glorified the French resistance against the Vichy regime and displays propaganda in favor of the Allied powers.  The scene begins with the German officials who display their dominance and power in the locale by chanting the patriotic German song Die Wacht am Rhein.  Lazlo, a member of the Resistance Movement, begins to counter their power by singing the French National Anthem.  The entire nightclub, previously subdued by the German chant, begins to join Lazlo and Rick, a former member of the Resistance Movement in France, orders the band to play the tune.  In the end, the German officers stop their chanting and appear defeated by the resistance, a clear metaphor for their hopeful downfall.  The scene not only demonstrates support of the resistance against the Nazi regime, but it also demonstrates the renewed resistance in Rick’s character.  As noted in the article, his broken love with Isle (Ingrid Bergman) made him a “cynical” person, but such was the sacrifice he needed to make in order to pursue his duty to combat the wrongdoings of the Vichy-Berlin situation.  

 

An oversized book of great length, Warner Brothers Presents can easily be seen as a definitive source on the history of the famous movie studio.  Containing over a hundred pages of filmography and an extensive index, this book shares many similarities with a textbook.  Its tone, however, is far from dry and the author seems to have made a great effort to make the book enjoyable to read.  Each chapter of the book details a different genre of film that Warner Brothers made.  Regarding Casablanca, Warner Brothers Presents provides a summary of how the film was made as well as interesting commentary on its significance during its WWII release.  The films pro-American stance abroad is investigated by Sennett as well as the films lasting effect on Warner Brothers’ melodrama, romance, and war-related genres.  By providing an extensive overview of the studio before and after Casablanca, Warner Brothers Presents shows the influences that affected Casablanca as well as the effect that Casablanca had on the industry as a whole.  Although Warner Brothers Presents is not about Casablanca specifically, the book nonetheless contributes greatly to the film’s analysis.

by Brian Tannenbaum

Polan, Dana. "Stylistic Regularities (and Peculiarities) of the Hollywood World War II Propoganda Film." WARNERS’ WAR: POLITICS, POP CULTURE & PROPAGANDA IN WARTIME HOLLYWOOD. pp. 38-47

World War II significantly changed American cinema. Not only were new propagandist messages infused into most films, the actual narratives changed to reflect the new wartimes. Propaganda did not come easy to Hollywood films that had built up a tradition of creating apolitical escapist films. Some films were awkward in their addition of political messages. Many used direct addresses to the audience through the use of voice over or radio newscasts. The heart of the change, however, was in the way romance was treated.

With the clear separation of men and women during wartime, there was an increased feeling that romantic relationships were frivolous and hurt the war movement. This led to a change in the dynamic of on screen couples. Many films were made about woman going to join the men on the battlefront, or the opposite: having the men come home to the woman in America.

One way to view Casablanca is as a romance movie built on separation. The separation of Ilsa from Lazlo in Paris and the night that she asks Rick for the letters of transit, and the separation of Rick and Ilsa when she leaves on the train in Paris. The ambiguous ending of the film in which we are uncertain of what the characters will do when they part, and how the war will end. This reflects the feelings of many Americans throughout the time. The complicatedness of Rick’s feelings towards the war and Ilsa make his character much more identifiable with most Americans compared to the straight forward Lazlo. The movie is a reflection of the time.

America’s passing of the Neutrality Act causes a declared foreign policy of not becoming involved in any way in either the impending war in Europe or the resistance of China against Japanese aggressors. This policy has been the historical one for the United States, which has tried to stay out of most foreign conflicts. This policy however does not speak to the hearts and minds of the American people. While the majority of the American public may be against war, they have still taken sides in their hearts against the dictatorship aggressors, and support the European democracies of Britain and France, and China in the East.

While Casablanca takes place after 1938, Rick Blaine represents the same America that is shown in this editorial. In order for him to personally survive in Casablanca, he must remain neutral and isolated. However in his heart, he has strong ties to pre-Vichy France as represented in Ilsa. The movie shows Rick’s transformation as a parallel to America’s, but this article shows how Rick represents America at the beginning of the movie.

America, like Rick, does not want to risk being involved in a war, but their outward policies do not reflect there beliefs and ties. Americans want to support the democracies but at the same time have a strong self-preserving desire to stay uninvolved. This form of isolationism is represented in Casablanca as an allegorical film about America.

Matthews, Chris. "There's a Little Rick in All of Us" Newsweek, 00289604, 10/28/2002, Vol. 140, Issue 18

In his Newsweek article published shortly before the United States declared war on Iraq, Chris Matthews presents the case that Americans today are as much like Rick Blaine in Casablanca as they have ever been. It is hard to make the choice between protecting America’s interests by staying out of harms way and fighting for just causes to protect the world. Historically America has been the “reluctant warrior,” joining the fight in causes that Americans think are right. Matthews worries that the Bush administration is acting against American history by joining in “entangling alliances.” He fears that Bush is transforming America from “reluctant warriors” into aggressors waiting for a fight.

Casablanca has as much relevance today as ever. The film teaches that it is important to know when the time is right to fight for good and when it is time not to get involved. The danger arises when America decides to fight, but it is not to stick up for dying ethics and morality in the world. The Iraq war is America fighting for the wrong reasons, against the general consensus of what is right. America is not sticking to the model presented by Rick.

The article was published before problems arose and provides a forward thinking view about the dangers of getting involved in Iraq. The contrast between the reasons America got involved in World War II as shown in Casablanca and the reasons that America is going into Iraq, highlight the changes being made by the bush administration.

Green, Gary. "The Happiest of Happy Accidents"? A Reevaluation of "Casablanca" Smithsonian Studies in American Art, Vol. 1, No. 2. (Autumn, 1987), pp. 2-13.

While many have called Casablanca a “happy accident” or suggested that the film serendipitously arose from a series of problems and random mistakes, Gary Green suggests a reevaluation of the film looking at it as a product of its director, Michael Curtiz. He says that the distinct ties between the visual and narrative aspects of the film are what make it most enduring and that Curtiz is chiefly responsible.

The main visual and narrative motif that is carried out in the movie is the triangle. Rick is part of two distinct triangles: the romantic triangle between him, Ilsa and Lazlo, and the political triangle with him, Strasser, and Renault. Visually Curtiz explores these two triangles by positioning the actors within the frame to represent their ties and connections. Through positioning Rick at the same spot at the table at the initial meetings of both triangles, he makes a connection between them. He uses two shots and close ups in the climactic last scene to show the breaking up of the triangles. In the end Ilsa is visually and narratively paired with Lazlo, while Rick is paired with Renault.

The other style that Curtiz lends to the film is the look of the films of the film noir period. Following in the footsteps of German Expressionists, his dark style with harsh painted on shadows help the audience become closer tied to Rick’s inner feelings. As the film goes on the style becomes darker as we become more and more involved in Rick. Even the stylistically light flashback sequence ends with a darker more sinister scene when they part with the train leaving. The end of the film is particularly dark visually with the airport almost lost in darkness. These stylistic elements that bring us closer into the film are the main reason for the film’s lasting ability, and the reason why it has become regarded as a masterpiece. Green wants to make sure that in our reevaluation of the film, we give credit where it’s due: to Michael Curtiz.

Jacobs, Lewis. "World War II and the American Film." Cinema Journal, Vol. 7. (Winter, 1967-1968), pp. 1-21.

World War II was extremely influential in what movies were produced and vice versa. The type of movies that dealt with the war (which was approximately one third of all Hollywood pictures produced) progressed along with the war. Starting with attacks against Fascism in Confessions of a Nazi Spy, Hollywood started to attack the enemy in its films. Charlie Chaplin’s film The Great Dictator used satire and humor to both mock Hitler and Mussolini and to deride them. Chaplin did not receive a lot of initial support for the film because people were nervous about enraging Hitler. In 1941 films started to become more militant as the Nazis invaded Russia and started sinking American ships. Movies started a call to war movement that was solidified with the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor. The government suggested themes to Hollywood to make films successfully support the war. These included: The issues of War, The Nature of the Enemy, The United Nations, The Production Front, The Home Front, and The Fighting Forces.

Casablanca doesn’t neatly fit into the chronology of the war because it was made after the attack on Pearl Harbor, but is about getting Americans into the war. It is film, however, that helped bolster support for the war effort, and it gave people a reason and explanation for being involved in the war. The movie established that it was the duty of America and in fact all Americans to do there part to help with the war effort. The support was crucial because without support on the Home Front by American citizens, the nation may not have been able to endure the limitations on life at home, and the loss of life in the battlefield.

Nachbar, Jack. DOING THE THINKING FOR ALL OF US: Casablanca AND THE HOME FRONT. Journal of Popular Film and Television; Wntr2000, Vol. 27 Issue 4

Casablanca represented not only the political feelings of early 1940s America, but also many aspects of life at home in the United States. Part of the reason the movie was so well received among the hundreds of war movies of the time was its direct connection to wartime audiences. Besides the bombardment of advertisements calling for American’s to sacrifice and join the war movement, everyday personal life was also reflected in the film. The parallels to American society include the heavy smoking and drinking culture portrayed by a smoking Rick sitting at his bar; Rick’s Café Americain was a prototypical nightclub which was in extreme popularity at the time. Rationing at home led to a large black market like the one represented by Mr. Ferrari in Casablanca. American audiences had an easy time believing the life portrayed in the film, as it greatly reflected how they felt at home. In a time of renewed financial prosperity in the United States, Americans had the money to buy luxury goods and services but could not find them being produced. These imposed government restraints were caricatured in Rick and other characters in the film. Almost all of the characters had money, but the money was almost worthless because there was nothing to buy. People were stuck in Casablanca as Americans at home were stuck when they had used up there rations.

The film does still play at heart to the need for American’s to endure self-sacrifice and to be an important part of the war. Rick had forgotten that need until, Ilsa reminded him of how he was in Paris: a political idealist and activist. As Ilsa brings back the need to join the cause and fight the good war, Casablanca speaks to the American public about the importance of joining the war effort. Like Lazlo does to Rick, the film says to all of America, “Welcome back to the fight.”

Otero-Pailos, Jorge. Casablanca's Régime: The Shifting Aesthetics of Political Technologies (1907-1943). Postmodern Culture; Jan1998, Vol. 8 Issue 2

The disparity between the cinematic representation of Casablanca and the real city show the liberties that the filmmakers took to promote the message of US involvement in World War II. While the film has small crowded streets and sets and props that do not reflect anything really found in the city, Casablanca has strong Moroccan and French architecture that was left out of the movie. The filmmakers used set design to help portray a visual style that presented a stronger argument for American audiences. The film used literal shadows to make a great contrast between the dark and light, the good and the bad. The gray areas present in real life Casablanca are conveniently left out of the film. Even though the filmmakers use documentary style footage in some of the scenes surrounding the war, it is only used to define a truth that is supportive to the American war effort.

Casablanca in itself is built as a city defined by creating an image to try and change the reality. The French used strong French architecture when they colonized Morocco to define the country as a French colony. However, where architecture is a slow process to define a region, film can almost instantaneously change the hearts and minds of viewers. The film creates a new Casablanca, one in which the American public can find a unifying idea. It doesn’t matter that the city is not an accurate portrayal, what matters is the effect that the created portrayal conveys. In the same way that architecture can be used to visually define a city, film can be used to visually create and redefine the city. Casablanca presents a stereotyped and allegorical city which was used to win over the loyalties of the American public.

Singer, Barnett. "'CASABLANCA' IN ITS TIME -- AND OURS." Contemporary Review; Oct2005, Vol. 287 Issue 1677, p233-237, 5p

Casablanca speaks the message that no matter what the year is, what side we are on, how desolate or enslaved our lives may be, we always have choices. Even in Vichy Morocco, Rick made a choice at the end of the movie to become involved and fight for what is right. The film also speaks to a semblance of realism at the time. The actors had backgrounds that allowed them to draw on real life feelings and experiences to portray the characters. Bogart, Henreid and Bergman all had off screen personalities that helped to form a basis for there characters.

Although the film has many connections to reality, parts of the film are not perfectly accurate of Unoccupied French Morocco. The Vichy regime was not historically as bad as portrayed in the film. French intelligence did work to hinder the German KIA by wiretapping phones and providing false information. Information dealing was a large part of life in Casablanca. Everybody from waiters to chambermaids sold information. Serge-Henri Parisot and his team led extensive counterintelligence against the Germans. He found people who had escaped from the Germans and along with having them tell him what they know, he used them to break and “repair” German telephones with bugs installed. Casablanca got some of the atmosphere of the real city correctly: the information and black market exchanges, the attitudes of many in the city; However, in regards to the villianization of the Vichy government, the film does not do accurate justice to the independence and French loyalties of the government against the Nazis.

Jackson, Kathy Merlock. "Playing It Again and Again." Journal of Popular Film and Television; Wntr2000, Vol. 27 Issue 4 

Casablanca has imprinted itself forever in hearts and minds of the American public like few films ever have. On many important top-ten lists including number 2 on the American Film Institute’s 100 best movies of the century, Casablanca occupies an important place in American pop culture. The film has become one of the most quotable movies, with people who haven’t even seen the film saying “Here’s looking at you kid.” The imagery from the movie including Rick in his white suit with a cigarette dangling from his lips, or the final scene when Rick tells Ilsa that she must leave with Lazlo are among the most recognizable in American mass media. The film has spawned a radio show, numerous plays, and spoofs but never ended up having a sequel, although one was in development. References to the movie abound in film, television and even comic strips. Nightclubs and restaurants based on the film or with similar Moroccan themes have sprung up in popular areas, with people capitalizing on the films popularity. A large market has appeared for memorabilia and collectibles from Casablanca with Sam’s piano selling for $154,000. Popular items include posters, one-sheets, sheet music and Humphrey Bogart collectibles. Ted Turner continued to popularize the movie when he bought the rights to the film and started licensing it to various companies. The enormous impact of the movie reaches far beyond the plot, characters and message, and has reached into the homes of the American people as a lasting piece of American culture. The film has permeated every media and has become part of our vernacular. We’ll always have Casablanca.

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