Casablanca Scene Analysis
Analysis of the first cafe scene:
- Outside shot of Rick's cafe, the name in neon lights.
- Word 'americain' in the title of the cafe, to show the american audience of the 40s.
- Sound of Sam - 'Knock On Wood' playing the piano links to atmosphere and mood, the first lyric you hear is 'it had to be you.'
- Spotlight, a continuous light going around, highlights moments such as when you see people enter, yet the light never goes inside showing a safe place to the horrors of the War.
- Shows officers of high status and cultural diversity.
- Periodically accurate clothes to 1940s, richer people are reflected through their clothes, such as jewellery and accessories.
- Camera follows the characters - mimics a stranger.
- Pans right to left to get a sweep of the room.
- Moroccan architecture
- Dim lighting from low-hung chandeliers, creates an atmosphere
- Zoom in to Sam on the piano, highlights the importance of his character and the tone of the scene through the song.
- Shots of various people within the cafe, all looking for the same thing - escapism from Casablanca and the war.
- Man looking away (like he's in his own world), hidden in shadow, sat in the right corner of shot, person he's talking to has back to camera, shows a contrast between the characters.
- Woman asking about the necklace's worth to exchange for the money for a visa (which we don't realise would save her from Captain Renault)
- Rick's signature, without a care, simply shot of the cheque from above, signed 'O.K Rick'.
- Shot of objects that link/summarise Rick's personality; the glass filled with alcohol, the chess board, ashtray.
- The contrast to the chess board and the gambling of his customers, puts Rick on a different level to the others. He's only playing himself, showing to be intellectual and aware of the moves, or that he can think in two separate minds (which could link to his later scene with the double betrayal).
The introduction to Rick Blaine is first shown through his cafe, which leaves the audience in suspense and from Rick's business the audience can assume his characterisation. The shot begins with 'Rick's Cafe Americain' in neon letters to the upper left of the shot, cutting to a close up of just the name. Since Casablanca is an American propaganda film, made and released during the Second World War, by having 'Americain' in the name shows where the attention is to be placed - to look for something they can relate to. A spotlight, a motif used throughout the film, is constantly highlighting the street, and does so in the opening shot of the Cafe, yet the light never goes inside the Cafe, maybe therefore being a protection from society.
As officers and people of higher status enter, the spotlight lights them up and brightens their uniform, the camera follows their move behind them, going through the door and showing the cafe as if in the perspective of a stranger. Therefore the camera begins to pan from right to left, showcasing the various types of people in there. The reflection of their statuses are shown through their periodically to the 1940s accurate clothes, the women in various forms of knee-length dresses and men in various suits and officers. This shows a formality to the Cafe, or perhaps gives characters to dress up in a contrast to the harshness of the War. The quality of their costumes, however, indicates how rich they are. The cafe seems to be divided in its occupants, for half are shown to be looking for ways of exiting Casablanca, and the cafe as the one semi-safe spot to do this, and the other half to be carelessly gambling and throwing away their money.
The use of lighting is cleverly used to create the atmosphere of places such as casinos or speakeasys - place the American audience may be able to relate to. dim low-hung chandeliers cast a dim light within Rick’s cafe, highlighting and casting shadow on specific people which link to their characters. For example, a man wishing to leave Casablanca,wearing a lesser quality suit, is sat in the shadow of the right corner. The main source of light comes from the centre behind a lady of higher class, due to her outfit. The man is fixated on something, as if he is in worry, whilst the other man his talking to has his back towards the camera and is more in the light, highlighting the difference between the two men in their ambitions, the other man shown to be richer with his high quality white dinner jacket.
This contrast between people is also the main point of Rick’s introduction. The people who visit his cafe have a vast contrast to Rick himself, and this is said by the waiter when a lady asks for Rick to join the gambling table. After only hearing of Rick through other character’s opinions the scene then cuts to an above shot of a cheque where ‘O.K. Rick’ is written, showing his carelessness for the matter. This then fades to show the props used to convey his character; an glass of alcohol, an ashtray and a chessboard. The symbol of the chessboard is used to show Rick intellect, the difference between the chess board and the gambling, showing how Rick’s ideas are based on strategy and how he plans things through. Yet when it’s shown that he’s playing against himself, it’s as if he knows all options. This chessboard heavily links into the last scene where Rick does a double betrayal.
As officers and people of higher status enter, the spotlight lights them up and brightens their uniform, the camera follows their move behind them, going through the door and showing the cafe as if in the perspective of a stranger. Therefore the camera begins to pan from right to left, showcasing the various types of people in there. The reflection of their statuses are shown through their periodically to the 1940s accurate clothes, the women in various forms of knee-length dresses and men in various suits and officers. This shows a formality to the Cafe, or perhaps gives characters to dress up in a contrast to the harshness of the War. The quality of their costumes, however, indicates how rich they are. The cafe seems to be divided in its occupants, for half are shown to be looking for ways of exiting Casablanca, and the cafe as the one semi-safe spot to do this, and the other half to be carelessly gambling and throwing away their money.
The use of lighting is cleverly used to create the atmosphere of places such as casinos or speakeasys - place the American audience may be able to relate to. dim low-hung chandeliers cast a dim light within Rick’s cafe, highlighting and casting shadow on specific people which link to their characters. For example, a man wishing to leave Casablanca,wearing a lesser quality suit, is sat in the shadow of the right corner. The main source of light comes from the centre behind a lady of higher class, due to her outfit. The man is fixated on something, as if he is in worry, whilst the other man his talking to has his back towards the camera and is more in the light, highlighting the difference between the two men in their ambitions, the other man shown to be richer with his high quality white dinner jacket.
This contrast between people is also the main point of Rick’s introduction. The people who visit his cafe have a vast contrast to Rick himself, and this is said by the waiter when a lady asks for Rick to join the gambling table. After only hearing of Rick through other character’s opinions the scene then cuts to an above shot of a cheque where ‘O.K. Rick’ is written, showing his carelessness for the matter. This then fades to show the props used to convey his character; an glass of alcohol, an ashtray and a chessboard. The symbol of the chessboard is used to show Rick intellect, the difference between the chess board and the gambling, showing how Rick’s ideas are based on strategy and how he plans things through. Yet when it’s shown that he’s playing against himself, it’s as if he knows all options. This chessboard heavily links into the last scene where Rick does a double betrayal.
Analysis of the scene where Rick and Ilsa meet again:
This moment of the film is very important to the characterisation of Rick and Ilsa, for it begins to reveal my more about their characters, especially Rick’s, who the audience already have started to heavily judge. It begins with a close up shot of Ilsa, the filter they used on women in the Golden Era of Hollywood creating a glow to her face - a ethereal look, the dim atmospheric lighting of the Cafe exentuating this. This gives the audience a chance to understand her facial expressions and consider her thoughts.
She asks Sam to play a song, which both characters are said to already know due to their past together. However Sam’s hesitation and Ilsa’s insist on it shows the importance of it, which later becomes a motif used throughout in diegetic and non-diegetic ways as a symbol of the past relationship of Rick and Ilsa. The close proximity of Sam and Islsa shows the comfortableness between them, however there is still a divide between them when Sam calls her ‘Ma’am’.
When Rick enters from a distance, the audience is made aware of his instant atmospheric change through Humphrey Bogart’s facial expressions and the fast pace which he moves towards Sam. The camera follows in front of Ruck’s footsteps, speeding up with him,, creating a building tension to the situation. The mid-shot which then focuses on Sam and Rick makes it easier to understand both of thor feelings in that moment, especially when Sam exaggerates his eyes for Rick to follow which then cuts to a close up of Ilsa’s face. The close up shots flicker back and forth between Rick and Ilsa, making it more personal towards the characters and let’s the audience try to understand their past through their reactions.
This moment of the film is very important to the characterisation of Rick and Ilsa, for it begins to reveal my more about their characters, especially Rick’s, who the audience already have started to heavily judge. It begins with a close up shot of Ilsa, the filter they used on women in the Golden Era of Hollywood creating a glow to her face - a ethereal look, the dim atmospheric lighting of the Cafe exentuating this. This gives the audience a chance to understand her facial expressions and consider her thoughts.
She asks Sam to play a song, which both characters are said to already know due to their past together. However Sam’s hesitation and Ilsa’s insist on it shows the importance of it, which later becomes a motif used throughout in diegetic and non-diegetic ways as a symbol of the past relationship of Rick and Ilsa. The close proximity of Sam and Islsa shows the comfortableness between them, however there is still a divide between them when Sam calls her ‘Ma’am’.
When Rick enters from a distance, the audience is made aware of his instant atmospheric change through Humphrey Bogart’s facial expressions and the fast pace which he moves towards Sam. The camera follows in front of Ruck’s footsteps, speeding up with him,, creating a building tension to the situation. The mid-shot which then focuses on Sam and Rick makes it easier to understand both of thor feelings in that moment, especially when Sam exaggerates his eyes for Rick to follow which then cuts to a close up of Ilsa’s face. The close up shots flicker back and forth between Rick and Ilsa, making it more personal towards the characters and let’s the audience try to understand their past through their reactions.
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