The rating comes as no surprise. However, only a novice would deem Casablanca to be a “star crossed” love story, for the film has been since reworked and presented in so many different avatars on the silver screen. Many call it a classic – a film which transcends the bounds of time. When I had reached the edge of ‘curiosity meter’ (which fluctuates from complete disinterest to high pitched eagerness) I summoned the courage to ask one of my highly gifted movie buff friends – “What makes a classic?” He replied calmly, “Nothing”. This nonchalant reply pegged me further – “Nothing? What do you mean nothing? There has to be something!” He heaved a sigh and turned his gaze towards me, like a patient guru about to enlighten his disciple and said – “Look, it’s not the movie which is ‘great’. It is what you associate with the film that makes it what it is. A classic is a movie in which you can find the themes which resonate with you the most. Yet, the movie in itself is nothing. A vast canvas with moving pictures. Who thought that one day such a medium could be so powerful? So, a classic is when you find everything… in nothing!” I turned around obediently, not willing to argue my case any further. I was baulked by this seemingly atrocious logic. It would still be some time before I would come across Casablanca and then it all became crystal clear.
Plot: The film is older (or younger, whichever way you want to see) than the Indian independence! The film was released in 1942 – in the middle of the Second World War. So, it is important that we keep in mind the context of the time. Casablanca is a city in Morocco and was an important strategic point in WW2. The film was rushed into release following “Operation Torch” by the Allies, which was the Allied invasion of Northern African Provinces to eradicate the Axis Powers. The common belief was that the Vichy French would not resist, who held the territory but this backfired when the Vichy French resisted. Casablanca went on to host the 1943 Casablanca Conference in which Churchill and Roosevelt discussed the progress of the war. Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart) is an American expatriate who runs Ricky’s Café Americain, a sort of nightclub without the raunchy, burlesque additions. Since France has already been defeated and the Vichy regime has been established which cooperates with the German Nazi operations, it is not uncommon to see Nazi officials and Vichy officers at the venue. Ugarte (Peter Lorre) arrives at Rick’s café with the possession of certain letters which allow the bearer to travel freely around German controlled Europe. The letters would be priceless to any refugees who are stranded in Germany territory but want to defect or return to neutral/Allied land (eg: America). Ugarte gives these letters to Rick for safekeeping before he is arrested by Captain Louis Renault (Claude Rains).
Now, enter Ilsa Lind (Ingrid Bergman) with her husband Victor Laszlo (Paul Henreid), a Czech Resistance leader who is sought by the Nazis. The couple is the perfect buyer for the letters. Rick doesn’t budge and Ilsa confronts Rick about the letters. It is here that we realize that Ilsa was Rick’s ex – flame and they still have feelings for each other. Rick only agrees to help on the pretext thinking that Ilsa will leave Laszlo and stay back with him. What will Rick do? Will he betray Ilsa’s trust and double cross Laszlo or will he make the ultimate sacrifice?
Themes: Once again, we must keep the context in mind. It was freakin’ 1942! The time when men were still bread earners and women remained “faithful” and “virtuous” towards their god forsaken husbands. Divorce was as much a dream as Playboy in the hands of Saint Valentine! It was unimaginable for the central plot of the film to be based around an extra marital affair. That would have been scandalous. That’s why it was added in the film that Ilsa thought that her husband was dead (killed by the Nazis) before she began her fling with Rick in Paris. Apparently, it wasn’t a reason to cry hoarse if a “virtuous” woman began a fling presuming her husband was dead, but she couldn’t resume the affair if her husband miraculously escaped alive. Well, we can only say – bad luck! Better luck next time.
Again, keeping with the background of the war, 1942 was still the time where Germans were the meanest and most brutal thing that ever happened to the world. Germany was shown as a savage gorilla ravishing Europe in many of the propaganda posters. Hitler was still in power and the term “teenager” hadn’t come into existence. People were paranoid as hell and no, they didn’t know how to “take a chill pill!” However, given the current circumstances, it would have been a lot more convenient (and life saving) if Hitler, Churchill and Roosevelt had a chat on the phone and just “got a move on”. These developments were a long way from home. Thus, the “Battle of the Anthems” sequence, about midway through the film has paramount importance. This is the scene where a group of German soldiers come in the bar singing Horst Wessel Lied – the German national anthem and Laszlo orders the band to sing La Marseille – the French national anthem. Given the context, this was a very bold scene to put in the film. The German national anthem was also not used and instead Die Wacht am Rhein was sung. This sequence epitomizes the anti German sentiment of the time. The tears by the end signify the human spirit – France may have lost the war, but not its soul. It was a war of two ideologies, not only two sides. It is very hard to grab this sentiment in the global world today.
Cast: Surprisingly, Casablanca was Humphrey Bogart’s first romantic role! The character of Rick was sketched keeping in mind Clark Gable but Bogart got the part. He had essayed a lot of “drunken” roles and that experience came in very handy portraying a torn lover. Ingrid Bergman didn’t know English prior to this movie! She was taking special English tutoring classes to brush up her English skills. Needless to say, the most memorable sequences are those where no dialogue is spoken and Rick and Ilsa just look into each other’s eyes… immortal. There a lot of memorable lines from this film. It is an encyclopedia of dialogues. The highlight of these lines is the nuance behind them. They are highly ‘suggestive’ in nature and not straight to the face like a sledgehammer. To quote a few:
Rick: Here’s looking at you kid.
Ilsa: Play it once Sam. For old times’ sake.
Rick: Louis, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.
There are so many things that I could include - the metaphorical significance of Ilsa leaving Rick to go with her husband. It can be taken as subtle war propaganda. The man who took a stand against the Germans gets the girl and not the “neutral” guy. There was increasing pressure on America to join the war. With Pearl Harbour, that finally happened but these references cannot be ignored. Watch it Sam, for old time’s sake… and find everything in nothing!!