Casablanca (film)
"Casablanca" is a classic film set in the Vichy-controlled Moroccan city during the early years of World War II. The story centers on Rick Blaine, an American nightclub owner portrayed by Humphrey Bogart, who possesses valuable letters of transit that could allow refugees to escape the tightening grip of Nazi oppression. The plot thickens with the arrival of Rick's former lover, Ilsa Lund, played by Ingrid Bergman, who is now married to Victor Laszlo, a leader of the European resistance. As Rick grapples with his feelings for Ilsa and the moral dilemmas posed by the war, he ultimately prioritizes the fight against Nazism over his personal desires.
The film premiered on the same day that Allied forces invaded North Africa, and its release aligned with significant historical events such as the Casablanca Conference. With its poignant themes of sacrifice and moral choice, "Casablanca" resonated with audiences and served to bolster anti-Axis sentiments during the war. Widely regarded as one of the greatest films in cinematic history, it received three Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and has been preserved in the United States National Film Registry. The film's enduring legacy continues to make it a monumental work in both film and cultural history.
Casablanca (film)
Identification Romantic drama set in North Africa during World War II
Director Michael Curtiz (1888-1962)
Date Premiered on November 26, 1942
Combining romance, an exotic locale, idealism, a stellar case, and clever dialogue in a critique of American isolationism in the face of expanding Nazism conquests in Europe and Africa, Casablanca quickly became one of the best known and most successful of war-related films of its time.
Set in the Vichy-controlled Moroccan city of Casablanca during the early years of World War II, Casablanca revolves around the American nightclub owner Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart), who has letters of transit that allow their bearers to travel leave Morocco freely. Although he has an opportunity to leave safely with his former lover, who suddenly arrives with her husband, Blaine ultimately chooses fighting against Nazism over his love for Ilsa.
The film opens with Casablanca swarming with refugees in December of 1941, as the Nazis are tightening their grip on Europe. Ugarte, a petty crook (Peter Lorre) has murdered two German couriers and stolen two letters of transit that would be of immense value to any refugee desperate for an exit visa. After Ugarte asks Blaine to hide the letters for him, he is killed trying to flee when French police captain Renault (Claude Rains) comes to arrest him. Blaine is unmoved by Ugarte’s death but is badly shaken by the unexpected arrival of Victor Laszlo (Paul Henreid) and his beautiful wife, Ilsa Lund (Ingrid Bergman), who had been his lover in Paris.
A black marketeer named Ferrari (Sydney Greenstreet) tells Laszlo that Blaine probably has the letters of transit. When Blaine refuses to give them to Laszlo, Ilsa begs him for help. She admits she has loved him all along and had thought her husband, Laszlo—a European underground leader—was dead when she planned to go off with him during their affair in Paris. When she had learned that Laszlo was actually still alive, she could not abandon him. After hearing this, Blaine promises to help Ilsa but secretly arranges with Renault to arrest Laszlo. However, when they all reach the airport, Blaine gives the letters to Laszlo and puts him and Ilsa on the departing plane. He then shoots the German officer attempting to stop Laszlo from leaving. Instead of arresting Blaine, Renault decides to leave Casablanca with him to join a Free French force.
The film premiered on the same day that the Allied Expeditionary Forces invaded North Africa, the region in which Casablanca lies, to begin driving Nazi German occupation forces out. The film’s general release date on January 23, 1943, coincided with the Ally’sCasablanca Conference. The film touched on the personal sacrifices that were being made during the war and served to further anti-Axis sentiments.
Impact
Now considered one of the greatest films ever made, Casablanca won three Academy Awards, including one for best picture. Decades after its release, the film consistently ranked near the top of industry lists of the best films of all time. The film was later selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry. It also helped the war effort by providing characters who—even though they were not all necessarily ethical—chose to make correct moral choices.
Bibliography
Francisco, Charles. You Must Remember This: The Filming of “Casablanca.” Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice Hall, 1980.
Harmetz, Aljean. Round Up the Usual Suspects: The Making of Casablanca: Bogart, Bergman, and World War II. New York: Hyperion, 1992.
Rosenzweig, Sidney. “’A Hill of Beans’: Casablanca.” In Casablanca and Other Major Films of Michael Curtiz. Ann Arbor, Mich.: UMI Research Press, 1982.