Casablanca Flashcards
Who directed Casablanca and when was it released?
Michael Curtiz in 1942.
The use of the searchlight?
Searchlight random = key moments
light and shadow = Rick in despair after meeting with Isla again.
The searchlight illustrates the uncertainty of war.
What does the medium to head shot of Rick Isla and Lazlo portray?
Trapped
Vulnerable
Doesn’t have a choice in whether she’s stays with Lazlo.
What does the long shot of Rick and Lazlo either side of Isla wiping her tears portray?
Isla wiping away her tears
Rick = letting Isla go. ~ idealist = propaganda - change view of American people. It shows him and selfless and strong.
What does the lighting portray about the Rick and Lazlo?
Lazlo = high key lighting
FE 🗣Rick in office. L = special beam of light on him.
FE Isla spoke of L light flashed on her = freedom, strong powerful.
Rick noir lighting (one side bright other dark) = weary mind at war.
R = metaphor 🇺🇸 joining war.
Rick shoots Major Strasser faces is completely bright.
How does cinematography portray Rick and Lazlo?
Lazlo appears taller Rick (shot reverse shot). Rick = powerless ➕ vulnerable = personal sacrifice ➡️ greater good.
Lazlo position of power.
Lazlo ➕ Rick = same height
What is different between this classic film and others?
Rick main character doesn’t win Isla, instead he gives her up for the greater good.
What does the iconic quote “here’s looking at you kid” - Rick portray as gender representation?
Noun kid - patronising = Rick to save her.
If = my love.
Rick = 🇺🇸 = powerful, strong. - audience know it’s for the greater good to join.
Isla = Europe = vulnerable, scared and powerless.
Gender representation?
Propaganda = America looks good.
Rick = metaphor - America = powerful strong when joins the fight. Before (noir lighting) creates a weary mind.
Isla = Europe - vulnerable and needs help. Lazlo = Europe's resistance & needs help.
Does the time period have anything to do with the representation of Isla?
Yes = 1942 + propaganda ➡️ change mind - 🇺🇸 = good idea.
Isla = powerless, vulnerable and scared y = Europe.
If not powerful ➕ strong = not have the same effect on viewers.
Why is the editing unknown for this period?
As its so fast pace you clips fly past, creates the scene of urgency and danger.
The use of diegetic sound when Major Strasser is driving in the car?
Horn creates a faster rapid pace a sense of urgency. This added with the non diegetic music tone drop in music amplifies the effect on the audience.
Why isn’t Isla a strong character?
Isla = Europe.
Period = vulnerable time.
Therefore it wouldn’t be authentic for her to be powerful.
What type of lighting (cinematography) is always shone on Rick and what does it convey?
Noir lighting (half face bright other dark)
Conveys a mood of war and shows Ricks spilt self.
What angle is Isla mainly shot from and what filters are use?
Left side
Gause filter ➕ soft lighting.
Soft ➕ give I’s 👀 a sparkle - sadness ➕ tenderness
Mise en scene?
Exotic locations = romantic ➕ glamours feel
What does Paris evoke for Rick and Isla?
Paris = romance ➕ nostalgia
Simpler times before Nazi Germany occupied France.
Final sequence at the airport?
Shot in a studio lot
Cardboard cut of an aeroplane - in the background ~ magnets for mechanics.
The use of miniatures in the background?
Foregrounds creates a forced perspective
The use of editing adheres too?
Rules of Classical Hollywood continuity editing.
But the pace is new for this time period = uncertainty of war.
Sound it “it had to be you” key motif through out the film composed by Max Steiner creates?
Score based on popular Broadway song.
Used key moments to remind us of Rick ➕ Isla’s ❤️
When does the orchestral score of “it had to be you” ?
Paris flash back scene
The recurrent motifs use of music “As time goes by” why does it appear?
Key moments - remind us of R ➕ I ❤️
What does Rick represent?
US Foreign Policy
Tough ➕ cynical
1st Rick = isolationist ➕ neutral stance
“I stick my neck out for nobody”
Shifts = self - sacrificing ➕ willingness = join war effort + allied forces.
“This is the beginning of a beautiful friendship”
What were most of the supporting cast?
➕
What were they portraying in the film?
Refugees from Europe
Michael Curtiz = Hungarian Jew
In film refugees in Europe wanting to get to America
The aesthetics of the film?
(Look ➕ feel)
Romantic longing = smoky bars, exotic location, foggy runway + wartime costumes = classic look to the film.
What does the blinds on Isla face represent when she’s waiting for Rick to arrive and say he has the papers?
The blinds look like prison bars on her face representing that she’s trapped
What are the combining elements of the film?
Film noir
Expressionism
Melodrama
Documentary
How did Warner’s tight budget policy reflect in the films aesthetics?
Low key lighting ➕ fog = disguise cheap sets - final scene with the aercraft hangar.
Political?
Casablanca = 4 days leading up Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour = 7th December 1941.
Attack = America join the WW2
Rick = foreign policy isolationist to intervention
Film = propaganda film - get support from the American people that it’s good to join the war.
Institutional?
Warner was 1 of ‘Big Five’
Controlled production, distribution ➕ exhibition of their films.
During 1940’s Warner known for tough detective thrillers (film noirs) ➕ melodramas
What is Casablanca a result from? Who worked on it?
D = Michael Curtiz
Cinematographer Arthur Edeson
Composer Max Steiner
Curtiz = respected ‘journey man’ studio era he could do a variety of genres.
Curtiz attention to detail ➕ rapid pace
What does Humphrey Bogart (Rick) reflect in the studio style?
Playing a tough detective figure + cynical.
Casablanca established Bogart as a romantic lead.
What was the home of the American Film Industry?
Hollywood studio system - factory
No longer though moved out of Hollywood into suburbs of LA = cheaper
Unbelievably - now one of the poorest districts of the US
What does the term “studio system” refer too?
Used in Golden Age of Hollywood
How did the studio system work?
“Big five “ = 1. MGM
2. Paramount Pictures
3. Warner Brothers
4. 20th Century Fox
5. RKO
= main producers ➕ distributes of films ➕ substantial theatre chains ➕ contracting - performers ➕ filmmakers (actors ➕ actress were owned by the company they could only work with that company. (combining ownership)
Studios had control of?
Production
Distribution - states ➕ world
Exhibition - 2000 cinemas = owned
What was a threat to the studio system?
Independent cinemas favour non - Hollywood films = threatened business.
How did Hollywood make sure that independent cinemas wouldn’t be a threat?
Block booking - selling a package of films “all or nothing basis”
Blind Bidding - not seeing the film therefore not knowing the success rate.
Run zone clearance system - cities 1st then trickle down to smaller areas ➕ towns.
Positives of the studio system?
✅ studios = money
✅ profits for new props
✅ guaranteed sales - using well known actors ➕ actresses. Having the cinemas pay for multiple films and not know what they’re
Negatives of studio system?
❎ cinemas having no control over what they buy ➕ show
❎ independent films being moved out
❎ lack of imagination ➕ standard lacking
❎ not knowing what you’re watching
❎ competition saturated
❎ actors + actress being owned by a company, no control over the roles they play
❎ lack of variety
❎ soulless films
What was the Paramount decree?
1948 = Paramount decree - legal ruling = system deemed operating illegally.
Vertically integrated studios (Big 5) = had to sell their cinemas.
Studios could no longer own them (US = not anymore but in GB = do ➕ other countries.
What added to the decline of cinemas?
Arrival TV = social sense
Introduction 1950’s = increase dramatically. 1st few homes ~ whole world
New form of convenient entertainment changed - habits of cinema audience
Why did the studio system have a negative effect on the film industry?
Bad for independent producers - difficult to sell theirs
Budget low quality films
Casablanca quotes have been voted some of the most memorable film quotations of all time, what are they?
“Play it, Sam”
“We’ll always have Paris”
“I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship”.
When was Casablanca first screened in New York?
26th November 1942
The release on 26th November 1942 in New York coincides with?
Allied invasion - North Africa ➕ capturing of Casablanca
When was the wide release?
23 January 1943 during the high profile meeting of Churchill ➕ Roosevelt in Casablanca
What was the reception of the films?
Good critically
What awards have Casablanca won?
Nominated for 8 Academy Awards 3 won
Awards for best picture, directing ➕ writing: adapted screenplay
‘As time goes by’ became a hit
Who are the Vichy government?
Vichy (1940-1944)
🇫🇷 gov ➡️ “power agreement”. With 🇩🇪
🇫🇷 pay costs of German troops in the country
➕ German army could arrest who they wanted.
What is featured during the flash back to France?
Nazi’s marching through Paris - forcing Sam and Rick to leave.
What was the result of the vice government who were respectful and loyal to the Germans?
The French people joining the resistance
What are The Resistance?
Name = French Nationals fighting against oppression ➕ suffering from Vichy Gov ➕ Nazi’s
Who carried out information ➕ missions
What is Victor Laszlo?
An important figure in the resistance movement (Czech National).
Isla’s role is supporting Laszlo
Who, when, why? Nazi Party
Nazi party 1920-1945
Eradication Jews, Gypsies, homosexuals, mentally ill , physically ill, communists (anyone who doesn’t agree with them)
Believed Aryan race ‘Master race’
Major Strasser represents Nazi party in Casablanca
What was Casablanca used for in WW2?
The place of displaced people going to America.
What is Casablanca essential to the narrative?
Casablanca connection to France
Geographical distance Vichy France ➕ resistance ➕ Nazi party behaviour in ways not have been possible
Co-exist = tensions ➕ dangers
The opening sequence
what cinematography device?
Graphic match history and location
Mise en scene ➕ sound introduce customers into Ricks bar?
Lighting - entrance
Searchlight travelling across the frame
Diegetic piano ➕ singing from Sam
How is lighting used for symbolic effect when Renault and Rick are in Rick’s office?
Oppression of the Germans as the high key lighting casts an over casting shadow of Strasser
What does the singing of Les Marseillais in the bar symbolise?
Sung by resistance fighters when captured
Laszlo uses it to drown out the Nazi’s singing Da Vach an rime.
Laszlo’s = louder symbolic drowning them out
Who is the leading man?
Rick Blare
Played by Humphrey Bogart
Who is love interest?
Isla Lund
Played by Ingrid Bergman
The resistance fighter!
Victor Lazlo
Played by Paul Henreid
Who’s the Vichy policeman called?
Renault
Who plays the piano!
Sam
The German one?
Major Strasser
