Casablanca Movie Review Essay, Research Paper
One of the world’s best movies is Casablanca. Many things made this movie to the fine a movie as it was. Things such as the actors, lighting, costume, camera, and even the sound. People watching this movie can feel both caught up and detached from the plot at the same time. The Plot and Sub-Plot work so well with the setting as well. It appeals to many differnt audiences. If one has a morbid and odd mind, such as mine, it can be compared to modern movies such as John Carpenter’s ‘Vampires’. This movie has lasted for fifty-six years and will probally live on for more. The classic movie, Casablanca, was nominated for six Academy Awards and won for best Picture in 1943.
At the time, it had an all-star cast, and I suppose it still is. Some of the actors are even considered legendary. The main stars of the film were Ingrid Berman as Elsa Laslow, Humphry Bogart as Rick, and Paul Henreid as Victor Laslow. Another major character was not listed as an actor in the credits at the time because he was an African-American. His name was Dooley Wilson, who played Sam, the piano player. Secondary characters were: Sydney Greenstreet as Mr. Ferrari, Peter Lorr as Ugat , and Conrad Viedt as Major Estassa. The lighting and camera work in the movie could be described as
nothing short of amazing. Because it was a black and white film, it was extremly important, because It set the mood so well. I believe that because of the filming of the movie being so close to the events in Casablanca during the war the costuming was dead on. The time period in the film was the same as the time period it was actually filmed in. The amazing thing about the sound was that it was done live and not re-dubbed, which was the way most sound was done in movies.
Depending on the person watching the movie, they will either feel caught up or detached from the film. This is the one downfall I found in the film. I felt very detached during it. I suppose this is more or less caused by the fact that being brought up with millions of technicolour movies, I am not that used to black and white, thus making me feel detached. The fact that I had never been through a war could be contributing to the detachment as well. Another thing that made me personally feel detached was that it kept me sperate from the characters. It never had the characters speaking to the audience in the sense of making them feel like another one of the characters. It was constanly keeping the camera on the characters. Some people may feel caught up in it because of the supense.
The main plot begins in Casablanca, Moracco, Africa in the 1940’s during the Second World War. It starts with two letters of transit being intercepted and held by Rick. Victor and Elsa Laslow come to Casablanca looking to flee Europe and require Letters of transit. Due to a past affair and desperate to get the letters of transit Elsa tries to secure the letters for herself and her husband, even offering to stay with Rick if it means her husband being able to go. Likewise, Victor goes to Rick and asks him to take Elsa and flee if it means her safety. Rick then tricks both the German and French authorities and then gives the letters of transit to Elsa and Victor so that they may leave. Rick then reconciles with the French Captain. There are a few sub-plots. One being Rick and Elsa’s affair in Paris France in WWII. Another sub-plot was the take of Moracca by the Germans. Another example of a sub-plot from Casablanca is when the newlyweds from Bulgeria need Visa’s and what the young woman is willing to do, and what Rick did for them. Audiences that Casablanca may appeal to are: people who may have lived through a war, lonely, romantic, women may like this film more then men, it is defently too difficult for children under ten, but would probably appeal more to people over twenty. It’s something you can take parents your to.
The reason I chose to compare Casablanca with John Capenter’s Vampires is because they are so different that most people would never find a similarity between the two, unless you have as an morbid mind or creative mind as my own. Both have action, supense, a plot, and romance. I do have to admit that I liked Vampires more then I did Casablanca. But if you look at it, they both follow nearly the same plot. I won’t go into either except for the last little bit of both. In Casablanca, there was people trying to stop the end result from happening, and the one person lied so that they could try to stop it. In Vampires, the mission was to stop the first vampire from performing the ceremony so that they could go out in the day as well as night. The Cardinal lied to Jack Crowe (the head vampire slayer) about why they had to find the First Vampire. Then there was a large
fight which had noting in common with Casablanca. The Girl who was slowly becoming a vampire had bitten Montoya near the begining of the movie, by time it had reached the end she had bittin him again and they were both well into the vampire change. Now what really hit me as similar in the movies was in the last scenes. In Casablanca, Rick has a few words with the Laslow’s and told them to go, the French Captain was against it, but they let them go. The movie Casablanca was concluded by the two of them walking away with
Rick saying “I think this is the begining of a beautiful friendship”. In Vampires, Crowe said his last words to Montoya and the Girl, the priest didnt think they should go because they were both turning into vampires. They let Montoya and the Girl leave because they love each other so much. It was then concluded with the priest and Crowe walking into the abandoned prison talking.
In conclusion, Casablanca is one of the world’s finest movies. Many things made this movie up to be as good as it was. Things such as the actors, lighting, costume, camera, and even the sound. It appeals to many differnt audiences. It even be compared to modern day movies such as John Carpenter’s Vampires. This movie has lasted for fifty-six years and will probally live on for more.