Casablanca

Movies, as an art, are a conduit for emotions. They work on us as we feel through them. This stated, “Casablanca” is defined as a nostalgic movie. It is about what was meant to be but didn’t go as expected. Also, being this nostalgia about love can only steepen the craving feeling the viewer is left upon. Obviously, although its enormous success isn’t due solely to that particular emotional feature, this is undoubtedly the core element that drives the whole story and binds ourselves to the character’s outcome. 

Casablanca’s plot is set at the homonym Moroccan city, at the time when it was controlled by the Vichy government, during world war II. The main character, portrayed by Humphrey Bogart, is Rick Blaine, an American with a gloomy past which includes at least some arms deals.  The film starts with Rick being well established at Casablanca, running a distinctive café named after him. He is courted by the girls (not the other way around), but it’s stated right from the beginning he doesn’t attach to them. Something stirs inside him.  The story evolves as Ugarte (played by Peter Lorre) comes up with stolen letters of transit, which can guarantee safe route out of Casablanca. This leads to the appearance to a resistance leader, Victor Laslo (Paul Henreid), who wants those letters to escape Nazi persecution. The issue is that along with him comes his wife, the beautiful Ilsa (played by Ingrid Bergman), who had, in and early past, a strong relationship with Rick, and disappeared from his life without any notice. At this point the viewer learns this is the motive for Rick’s bitterness and detachment from any kind of bondage. 

As expected, the just arrived couple urges for a way out of Casablanca, but between them and those letters of transit stands Ricks forgiveness of Ilsa misconduct towards him, and the audience’s too. Thus, a powerful link emerges between the characters and the viewer, who ends in some sort of identification with either one of them. No doubt their roles are deeper than that, but, as already stated before,  this intermingled love rests as the drama’s absolute cornerstone.

will he ever get over it?

By the end of the movie my opinion is that Rick has acted less as an ideologist than as wounded lover. He gave it a big try, but couldn’t really forgive Ilsa for her lack of compromise with their love,  leading to the particular ending this film has. Coming full circle with this review, all those tears Casablanca is responsible for since its release are due mostly to audience’s inner , almost unconscious, perception that past loves are not amendable, at least to the very way they were.

@jpvbm