Casablanca Theme of Love and War: Exploring Classic Hollywood Cinema

Introduction

The 1942 film Casablanca tells the tale of Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart) and his unknowingly forbidden love for Ilsa Lund (Ingrid Bergman) as they traverse their affair against the backdrop and conflicts of World War II. The movie accomplishes its classical Hollywood narrative through the use of the “invisible” style of editing.

The Essence of Continuity Editing

The editing is continuous, allowing the viewer to focus on the characters and the events taking place. By never interrupting the film with ambiguity, the viewer is always aware of the eye line match whenever a character is looking at something.

The diegetic or actual sound of the character’s dialogue reveals their emotions and enables the audience to see what is going on without distraction. The lighting is high contrast in the black and white film, with Rick often cast in shadow. Much of the film is shot at night, enhancing the mood of war and despair. When the sound of the piano playing is heard, a spotlight moves across the shot, emphasizing its significance. The non-diegetic or added sound serves a purpose as well. This begins with the narration in the opening scene that sets the time, place, and situational dilemma of the movie.

The background music used throughout the film creates a feeling of nostalgia and heightens the theme of the lost love between Rick and Ilsa. The camera is there to represent the sightline of the viewer. Employing no trick shots, the characters are squarely positioned in the middle of the scene, following them as they walk as one would do if they were actually there. This invisible style of the film permeates the editing technique, particularly when there is conversation. This is done by focusing on the character that is speaking and not cutting away until they reach a break or the end of their sentence.

Significance of Diegetic and Non-Diegetic Sound

A scene in Casablanca that clearly exemplifies the technique of continuity editing is the viewer’s introduction to Rick’s Café. It begins with a close-up of the sign Rick’s Café American, which establishes the setting for the sequence that follows. The camera moves slowly and smoothly throughout the café, passing by a diverse selection of clientele, which includes French and German military officers, stylish women, and locals in traditional Moroccan attire. The chic vibe of the posh club is evident, thus establishing the exotic mise-en-scene. The scene seems to flow and unfold effortlessly, panning the premises, always allowing the viewer to be aware of space and time. The camera then moves in and focuses on a close-up of the piano player, Sam, singing It Had To Be You. This is followed by several interactions between the customers, which paint the picture of the desperation of the refugees to obtain the necessary exit visas to escape Casablanca by any means. The viewer can concentrate on the character’s problems and struggles and problems because there are no sudden camera jumps or awkward angles to distract them.

Conclusion

Casablanca is a prime and enduring example of Classic Hollywood Cinema and the invisible film style. It adheres to all of its major elements and techniques, telling the story seamlessly without drawing attention to the editing behind the scenes.

References

1. “Casablanca: Movies and Memory” by Marc Augé 

2. “Round Up the Usual Suspects: The Making of Casablanca – Bogart, Bergman, and World War II” by Aljean Harmetz 

3. “Casablanca and Other Major Films of Michael Curtiz” by James C. Robertson

4. “Hollywood’s American Tragedies: Dreiser, Eisenstein, Sternberg, Stevens” by Michael Andre Bernstein

5. “Casablanca: Script and Legend” by Howard Koch and Aljean Harmetz 

6. “Casablanca: An Unlikely Classic” by Brendan Gill

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