the one big classcial

8/8/2019 The One Big Classcial

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Bryan Lim

Professor Johnston

Assignment 2

September 28th

2010

The Element tells a story

The classical, lovable and action-dramatic movie Casablanca (1942) has brought the

audience to their knees. Casablanca is a masterpiece tale that several elements play within the

places as well as the personality developments. The firm is about two individual who falls in

love the past dramatically, in the worst day; however, they yet to fall again in the future after

they separated. The main character Rick is an American living in Casablanca while owning his

own bar. He remains neutral until his long lost loved one show up. One day, Lisa shows up in

Ricks bar with her unexpected husband, Victor, that both wanted to leave to American as soon

as possible. She then asked Sam to play As time goes by which angers Rick that he does not

want to hear the piece again. Rick got shock upon seeing; yet, try to be neutral to everyone else

including her. Then, he overcome his past and tried to help Lisa and her husband to escape

Casablanca. But, Major Strasser was in their way. Rick helps them by threatening Captain Louis

Renault to escape Casablanca by airplane. Major Strasser was able to reach in the escape

scene but was shot by Rick upon distracting him from catching them. In the end, the firm ends

with two men, Rick and Louis, walk down the streets.

In this essay, I will be focusing on the scene and stages that tells the stories before the

motivation or action starts. The first one is when Rick sitting at the bar and another one is when

every characters that are being shown in the airplane scene.


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At the beginning, we see the scene begin with the world map introducing Casablanca,

though most people at that time dont realize what it means but, it already tells the story about

the struggling between power of world wars and individual people that allows them to achieve

greater goals. After the chaos scene, the police chase down the men that had the document

which is out-of-date, and police shot him. The scene switches to the sign Ricks Caf

American and the plane flew by. This particular scene tells the audience that there will be

more going on rather than just a sign and a plane. At first, it would be just a random scene but

it is more. They created the scene because it imprint to audiences memory to ensure to the

future references.

After the chatting scene between Major Strasser and Captain Louis outside of the

airport (ironically show up in the ending scene), the scene swift to nights and the sign shows up

again, Ricks Caf American. In the


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caf, they show a lot of different cultural people, motivations, as well as the characteristics.

Perhaps one would realize the caf American is one fills with mix people in there. They are

trying to escape the horrible town or enjoy being solitude from other world. These create the

dreamy thoughts of freedom inside the caf.

One of the examples that tell the story or describe the characteristic is when they

introduce Ricks himself.

Before the

camera faces his face, they rotate it below his head, on the table with full of stuff on it. Even

though they gave it a few second, one moment will tell it all. It has un-finish smoke, half glass of

wine, black and white piece of chess, checks, good-looking pen and white paper thingy. From

these things, it already tells the story of what Rick characteristic. For example, smoke suggested

he is a calm or hyper person, wine and checks suggested he is wealthy and royal and the black

and white piece of chess tells either of his pasts or his think before you do routine. These

individual objects are important to tell what happened next to the story. It progresses over time


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as the character develops through the objects that are presented on the table. Even though

the audience is unconsciously passive watcher, they would not expect the plot twist in the end.

Another one of the example is during the ending where Rick was helping Lisa and her

husband escape from Casablanca to American. The scene feature the airport scene, and it is

likely that the airport scene is the same as the beginning, when Major Strasser and Captain

Louis chatting or negotiating on their way in. The idea is that everything soon to be related as

the object and the characters show up symbolically and answers in the end.

For example of the dresses and the facial characters that are represents: Major Strasser

was dressing up like a bad guy and the face structure looks like a bad person. Captain Louis

looks like a funny person and the color of his dress was certainly like someone who would will

to follow whats best for him. Victor dresses up like a royal yet intelligent looking person whos

willing to understand any kinds of situation. Lisa dresses like a dreamy supporting role. And

lastly, Rick is a complex character, which is why they show many object, others that are

influences him, and particular lightness in particular scene during his showcase. The reason that

idea wrapping to the ending scene is because the characters has shows their element in their

role playing story line. In other words, each individual symbolic are being clash into one, which


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the twisted plot comes in.

In conclusion, the ending plot-twist plays incredibly well considering the airport, the

plane, the characters and gun shooting that are meeting each other again. At first, during the

Rick and bar scene represent the progresses and tells whats going happened in the end. Lastly,

each individual represented well and meet their destiny at the airport scene. These beginning

scenes appear as in mystery, to ask us whats going to happen to them. Especially, when the

character that we hold on too dearly, we would not expect any plot twist.

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