A Review of Casablanca
胡苑 0906 020902012
To be honest, this is the first time I’ve ever watched a black-and-white movie. At first, because of the subtitle and the language, I didn’t quite get the idea of the movie. I only knew that it is a love story happened during the World War II with an interesting ending. To get more information about the movie, I watched it again later. That makes me realize how wonderful the movie is.
As I mentioned above, the story is in the background of World War II. In 1941, most of the European continent was under the control of Nazi. America was the haven of the Europeans. However, refugees should go by a roundabout route from Casablanca in North Morocco to take off to Lisbon, and then to the USA, as that city was still not invaded. This detour made Casablanca in super tension, especially when the permits to get out of Casablanca were very hard to get. Even in this situation, people in Casablanca still have the right to entertain. Most people may had ever went to the Rick Café Amenicaim , you can have your drink, listen to the music and do some gambling there. The boss of the café is a mysterious man called Rick. He managed to run the café well in such a chaos. One day, an anti-Nazi leader of Czech Victor Laslo went to the Rick café, escorted by his wife Ilse. He hope to get permits to get out of Casablanca from Rick. Ironically, Rick found out that Victor’s wife Ilse was his love in the past. They had really good time in Paris. Their love story was to be very romantic and beautiful if the girl did not disappear at the moment they were managing to go to America together. Ilse went to Rick to
tell him that she found out her husband was alive, who was rumored dead in the Concentration Camp. She was in a mess that she had feelings not only to her husband, but also to Rick. Rick managed to help Ilse and her husband leave Casablanca by getting the visa, shooting the officer who was trying to stop the escape. He let the woman he love go with someone she cannot leave.
For girls, we pay more attention on the love story than the real status of Rick or the previously unimagined ending of the movie. For me, I feel quite sorry for Rick and Ilse’s not being together at last. Although I know Rick had done what is good for all of them. Interestingly, people in that love triangle cared less about themselves. That is pretty the reason to the end.
Victor cared more about people around the world, he did not want more people to be hurt by Nazi. His work is risky, adventurous and flexible and he cannot settle down to give Ilse a stabilized life. I think that’s why he can be cool with the affair between Ilse and Rick, that is why he asked Rick to take Ilse out of Casablanca. He did love Ilse, but if he loses his work and his mission, he will die. Like he said himself when Rick ask him that are all these things worth the fight, ”You’re asking me the question why we are breathing. If we stop breathing, we will die. If we stop fighting our enemies, the world will die. ”
There are some people arguing whom Ilse loved more. I’m also a little bit confused. If he loved Rick more, why did she leave Rick with a smile on his face after she had told Rick she cannot leave him again the night before? Rick’s speech at last did not have that great convincing power. All we can be sure is that,
before Ilse knew his husband was not dead, she was in love with Rick. However, she did not leave with Rick, as she knew Victor needed her. Without her, Victor will lose a powerful arm and the spiritual support while fighting the enemies. She did care more about his husband than her own feelings at that time. That is the part we should appreciate.
Rick, the so-called misanthropic man, turned out to be the sentimentalist. I think, most girls will get lost in his deep and speaking eyes. Most girls will feel pity for him. He is a man that loves one woman only, deep and long. That is the kind of guys girls are willing to meet. Obviously, he was in love with Ilse from beginning to the end. Although Ilse stood him up on the railway station in Paris, he still forgive her after he was told the reason, he still helped Ilse and her husband to get out of Casablanca under great risks. He got drunk because of the sadness and heartbreaking leaving of Else. He kidnapped Captain Reinuo and shoot Major Salsa to make Ilse and Victor take off safely. He sold his cafe on which he earn his living and took all the risks of being arrested to the Concentration Camp. Rick always says that”I should stick my neck out for nobody.” Finally he made a huge exception for Else, along with the rules “never drink with the guests” and ”keep neutral on everything, even women”.
All of them care more about others than themselves. That makes the story more breath-taking and the movie more meaningful. Maybe because the movie is in black and white, it makes people wonder more about how it would in real world.
There are some famous lines I still remember. “Of all the gin joints in all the
towns in all the world, she walks into mine”, that is my favourite line. “Where were you last night?--That's so long ago, I don't remember.--Will I see you tonight?--I never make plans that far ahead.” From this, we can see Rick’s misanthropic part. “With the whole world crumbling, we pick this time to fall in love.” The famous song As Time Goes by is still singing:
You must remember this
A kiss is just a kiss
A sigh is just a sigh
The fundamental things apply
As time goes by...
