Casablanca Analysis of ending How is gender represented

Casablanca: Analysis of ending

How is gender represented - Female roles shown as helpless and the quote from Ilsa “You think for the both of us” - Ilsa had no input in the discussion with Rick and Lazlo on their secret affair. - Instead of Ilsa being a character in Rick’s eyes, she acts as his own personal challenge to face. - Mellow dramatic music - 1 main female character ( very passive ) most of the casts consist of males actors. - Soft focus on Ilsa’s screen time, represents her purity and innocence - When ever she had a scene with rick and Laszlo speaking, she is seen as weak figure due camera angel focusing on both men speaking and her weeping in the background.

Authority - If Laszlo represents pure political idealism, Louis represents the hypocritical image of the government at the time, and being unfaithful with the statements they make ( going back on his word ). - Louis and Major Strasser - Louis is a hyprocrite, castigating Rick for allowing gambling in his bar just as he was collecting his earnings for the evening. - Louis lacks intimidation from Rick pointing a gun at him due to his superior role. - Rick does have an influence of authority over Rick as Rick inspires Louie to stand up from the injustice of the German occupation. - Strasser is more ideologically driven, dominant and his downfall being foreshadowed due to his inability to change his ideals.

Auteur signatures and Hollywood studio convections - The use of soft-focus on Ilsa is a form of classic Hollywood filming to create a sense of purity to the female lead roles who were portrayed as love interests. - The use of an effective tracking action reaction continuity shot by Curtiz, when it goes from Louis stating “Round up any suspicious suspects” and we see Ricky’s initial reaction after killing Strasser. ( dynamic movement with panning and tilting ) - The use of Curtiz’s classic shadowing in end sequence was very useful as it covered half of the actors facial features with the strong contrast, this could be metaphorically implying the actors self conflict. - Performance generated suspense and a mellow dramatic sequence, as Curtiz loved to get the best performance out of his actors and the extreme classic Hollywood close ups created a sense of sympathy for Ricks and Ilsa failed romance.

Function of propaganda, morale boosting popular art and/or a film produced under the financial and material restrictions of war - When Rick says “I stick my neck out for nobody. ”, Captain Renault responds by saying “Wise foreign policy. ” This directly relates actual foreign policy America had during this time to not get involved with other countries wars unless it were in self-defence. Rick has the same mentality as he doesn’t want to get involved with anyone else’s problems unless it directly affects him. However, by the end of the film he is the character that brings everything together and resolves everyone’s problems. He plays the hero, representing America during the Second World War. This can be seen as a message to the audience, telling them America is the best and solves everything - Film studios used the same chemicals which were used to create military arms and explosive, so that implies the high regards the government looked at movies during this era as it could used as a form of propaganda, despite to the restrictions America had due to the Wall street crash and the low economic state America were in. Also film was a form of morale boosting as it was a way of escapism.