In this ten-part series I study the screenplay of
‘Casablanca’ by breaking it down to its several aspects. Click here and read
from down upward for the entire series.
“It doesn’t take much
to see that the problems of three little people don’t amount to a hill of beans
in this crazy world. Someday you’ll understand that.”
Story Covered in this
final part: Ilsa rushes to Rick to confirm that Laszlo is leaving and she
is staying back with Rick. Rick reassures her. Laszlo believes Rick has
arranged for Ilsa to leave with him and is thankful
Step Outline:
- Pg 115-117: At Rick’s. Scene between Rick and Ilsa and Laszlo. And Renault.
- Pg 118: Strasser has received Renaults call. He leaves for the airport.
- Pg 119-126: The climax at the airport. (With one brief intercut on pg 122 to show Strasser driving to the airport.)
Structure: The
rhythm and the pace of the events in this section are dramatically and
emotionally so involving that we hardly have time to breathe. The classical
design of the Climax comes into play that plays on reversal of expectations,
using cinematic tools (see below), and an end that brings satisfying emotional
resolution to not only the main plot, but all sub-plots.
The Character arc:
- Rick completely drives the climax, with his presence of mind, wisdom, and courage. By doing everything right, he has fulfilled our emotional investment in him.
- Ilsa completely surrenders to Rick’s command. Despite the pain, and the knowledge that she may never see him again, she understands what he has decided is the best for all of them. Their love story will stay unfulfilled, but Rick has successfully brought to it purity and pride.
- Laszlo continues to impress us with his understanding. Not only he implies that he understands the sacrifice Rick and Ilsa are making for the greater cause, he also makes sure to ask Ilsa if she is ready to join him on the plane. He also admires Rick’s entry into the War.
Sub-plots: Apart
from the resolution of the incredibly beautiful love story between Rick and
Ilsa, that was the main plot of the film, the following subplots are resolved
as well.
- Laszlo's escape brings a satisfying end to the political drama
- Rick is back in the fight
- Renault’s sense of patriotism is back. Despite trying his best to prevent Laszlo from escaping until the last minute, Rick’s sacrifice makes sure that Renault finally gives up his selfish and corrupt ways.
- Renault always had a soft-corner for Rick. It resolves when he helps Rick after he kills Strasser. We are not sure how much Rick will trust him, but for a while they are going to be together. The famous line that closes the film assures us of that, when Rick says, walking away: “Louis, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.”
- Strasser dies. If there is one character who deserved to die, it is he, the one who is most brutal, and the one who signifies the Nazis.
Tools Employed:
- Reversing Expectation: Since we are not aware of Rick’s plans, and he manages to create wrong expectations in all of us, including the characters on screen, what he eventually ends up doing is an extraordinarily pleasing surprise.
- Surprise: When forced to call the airport by Rick, Renault makes the call. But as the scene ends we cut to the other end of the phone call and are surprised to find it was Strasser whom Renault had called, thus informing him about the escape plan.
- Time-lock and Rising Tension: And thanks to that phone call, the tension in the film rises like never before. There are several films where all characters converge at one place at the climax, but not many films manage tension so effortlessly and effectively. Also, as soon as we cut to location of the climax, the airport, an Orderly makes a call informing us that the Lisbon flight is leaving in ten minutes, thus creating a time-lock and enhancing the sense of tension.
- Cinematically stunning climax: Apart from closing on great emotional and dramatic high, the climax also works cinematically, visually. One, heavy fog surrounds the airport. Two, the energy of the moment and intercutting with Strasser driving to the airport gives it a formal urgency.
Themes:
- One big theme of the film has been the struggle between the personal and the political. Rick’s passion has turned this patriotic and compassionate man into a recluse. Renault’s premature line “Love, it seems, has triumphed over virtue” further confirms this struggle. And in the final lines spoken by Rick to convince Ilsa, the personal desires and the political virtues meet, merging into each other, losing something for the greater good. What powerful lines: “Inside of us we both know you belong to Victor. You’re part of his work, the thing that keeps him going. If that plane leaves the ground and you’re not with him, you’ll regret it… May be not today, maybe not tomorrow, but soon, and for the rest of your life… We’ll always have Paris. We didn’t have, we’d lost it, until you came to Casablanca. We got it back last night.”
- Also, Rick’s entry into the War signifies more than just personal. Remember, the setting of the movie is December 1941, precisely when America entered the war. Hence, Rick’s personification of the USA is complete here.
- Rick’s killing of Strasser foreshadows Germany’s defeat in the War some years after the film’s release.
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