So while I was home from getting my wisdom teeth pulled, i decided to check out TCM and watched the movie Casablanca. It takes place during WW2, and happens to be unoccupied France, and though it's not supposed to be a comedy by any means (or at least I think?) there were a few things that I found comical due to the irony..
1. There is one black character (piano player) in the entire movie, but he has a pretty large role
2. While there are many WW2 movies/holocaust movies, this one was just different. It actually showed all the schemes people were pulling to get in to America. It showed how authority figures we're really sneaky, and not true to the side they were supposed to support. Many movies on the war either show the horrors of WW2, or the rebel groups, or Germans who helped keep people from the Holocaust - but never really a whole movie on ways to get around it.
3. Sam (the piano player), plays a song about knocking on wood & how great life is - which I thought was ironic because it's right before they capture a man who stole from German guards & kill him. Also ironic just because of what is going on in Ricks club at the time as well as around the world in general. (Sam goes back to playing the song as soon as the guy is caught and escorted out as well)
A few other things I noticed:
Misc-en-scene: When Rick & Elsa are in paris, they are literally the only people in every scene except for when they are on a dance floor at which point everyone else is completely out of focus.
In the apartment, the music stops abruptly as Elsa claims that her ex is dead - but then goes right back to this romantic music - and quickly gets fast, loud, and upbeat as it shows the nazi's taking over fance. Elsa's attitude, tone, and the way she knocks over the glass of wine on the table after telling rick to kiss her as if its the last time - alludes to the fact that it not only will be the last time, but terrible things are going to come.
Scene that reminded me of Susan & B.U.B. - When Elsa pulls the gun on rick, after the whole movie seeming like a woman who would never do such a thing. Reminded me of when Susan is the only one who tames the leopard.
Hi Nicole: Actually, Casablanca is set in the Moroccan city of Casablanca in Northern Africa. In the 19th and first half of the twentieth century, much of Africa was carved up and divided among various European countries (see: "Imperialism"). France occupied Morocco until after WWII.
ReplyDeleteHope you're feeling better.
Thanks professor! I thought that it was in Morrocco as it definitely looks like it, but they kept saying "unoccupied France" and confused me.
ReplyDeleteSo much better, I will be back tonight. thank you!