Casablanca Last Scene Analysis

Rebecca Nlewedim

Casablanca Last Scene Analysis

The last scene of Casablanca features the characters saying their final goodbyes in a renowned scene and imperatively key scene to the plot. It uses film form to display the cinematography, meaning and response, various context and auteur with stylistic features which is who is responsible for the film. There are also very prominent elements of classical Hollywood style.

The characters of Casablanca all represent different levels of alignment as that is a key theme throughout the film, what side are you on, seems to be a constant question within the narrative. Characters talk in 'double talk' and a type of code which clearly displays to the audience the lack of trust that is valued and portrayed by the characters in Casablanca; This is shown not only in the performance but throughout the film form as in context people are talking in code as this is a movie made during WW2, a sort of romantic war drama genre film, so people are commonly discussing senscamera,matters with innuendos and various telling nuances.

"It's the same old story/ a fight for love and glory..."

In terms cinematography the lighting is black and white so that already gives the foundation to make the film shadier and darker and the film excellently uses shadows to display the cracks and flaws in the characters as well as clue the audience in on how they're feeling.during the scene. Shadows are a great device to use as they can be so easily created in Casablanca with lamps and placement of characters within a scene which can quickly reference to the audience that everyone has a shadow so it creates an immediate connection to the characters and the objects surrounding them. The majority of Casablanca's lighting is artificial and it allows the shadows to exist by allowing them to deflect off them and express deceit and conflict.

While the lighting is used to light a scene or draw attention to a character, it can also be used to highlight the alignment of a character whether good or bad (reference photo above).  It also affects mood as it follows the traditional notion that happy joyous moments should be brightly lit and sad, upsetting ones should be dimmed or dark. Like for example the last scene which is awkwardly lit to represent the awkward goodbye that is shown on screen, the weather is very misty/foggy which perfectly reflects the air of mystery and the secluded nature of their surroundings (trapped in Casablanca/airport) as they have no here left to run there is a focus on the action (Rick shooting Major Stresser) then leaving it with Ilsa (heroine) leaving with Victor Lasslo (would-be hero) while Rick and Louis go off to join the fight. This was very typical of Old Hollywood in terms of using lighting to convey emotion but Old Hollywood films with Film Noir elements rarely end as happily as Casablanca. However it's ending could be interpreted as unfair by the audience as in modern cinema Rick would have ended up with Ilsa.

1. In terms of camera it zooms in on important character moments which was rare for a camera of that time to be able to do as it able to relatively track Major Stresser as he drives into the scene. It moves along to follow the story and highlight key points: rejection of the Vichy waster by Louis as he throws it in the water and the focus of the camera on that is a reference to him changing sides of alignment and choosing to fight for his country, a very patriotic moment. It also features a close up on Ingrid Bergman (Ilsa) who manages to deliver a beautifully emotive face with each shot which heightens the emotions of the scene. The lack of close up in the shooting scene allows an atmosphere of shock to settle in then be taken way as the Major shoots and miss allowing Rick to shoot and not only save his own life and the other characters but show the audience his readiness to defend his life. This could be interpreted as Boggart Film Noir background settling into the character and expressing his Old Hollywood background through that as Ingrid does with her beautiful heroine background.

(In A Lonely Place-1950- Film Noir: Humphrey Bogart & Gloria Grahame)

Classical Hollywood is considered to have occurred in circa 1930 - 1960 it is the idea of the origins of the Hollywood we know today and the familiar style used in cinematography within modern cinema; it shares context and influences with Casablanca but while Casablanca posses more links with modern cinema and individualistic techniques. Classical Hollywood focuses mainly around Film Noir which could perhaps be summed  up cigarettes, shadows, Bogart (main male lead in Casablanca, famous Film Noir Gangsta actor before hand), fate, guns, back and shady streets; Evidently it shows Casablanca uses a lot of these themes but is not a Film Noir film as although both are restricted historically in terms of  context to Black and White film, as colours
 had not been developed: Film Noir simply is much darker although some my argue that Casablanca has a not necessarily light-hearted ending.

Casablanca is an excellent example of film as it wasn't meant to be a blockbuster film that year but due to the machine that was the studio system allowed a good film to break through the cracks of this well oiled process; with use of carefully placed props and instructed directing that turned it into the masterpiece it is today without that even having to be the intended purpose making clear example of brilliant film.

Soft vs Wasp

WASP

SOFT

Soft and Wasp are two British short films, each famous in their own right with their particular micro-features, camera angles and themes. While both films have family related context they carry different genres and other connotations; Soft having more of a drama genre and Wasp being more or a sort of romantic indie drama mix, both involving what could be thought of as adult themes in Soft (violence/abuse, class issues) and Wasp, (love/lust, child neglect, class issues) .

Soft for example uses the male stereotype that they're not allowed to be feminine and they're refusing to admit their fear as a weakness instead of the expected action it's usually displayed s within film, this allows his son to take on the mantle of man of the house as he figuratively steps up and defends his home after repeatedly asking his father if he was scared; a clear sign of him not only mocking him but showing the audience he's already recognised his fathers fear and will overcome it. It's as if it shows the typical transition of boy to man without even having o detail it in the script, simply by performance alone which is best acted by Micheal Socha (Misfits-E4) who plays the thug. He clearly displays how abuse can affect even those who appear to be the most well put together.

In contrast to Wasp which details a struggling lower class family with a mother who clearly isn't coping but evidently does love her children, it brings up the social issue of having children too young and questions what it means to be a good mother. Her youth is stated but shown in her performance as she speaks to her children as if they were friends not the more disciplined maternal relationship that is socially thought of as acceptable. The mother seeks out a father figure and provider for her children as well as romance for herself but the film has a sort of karma aspect as she tries to hide her children from her date only for him to discover then in an embarrassing situation. However despite this and over dark aspects of the film, it has a relatively optimistic ending with the mother and her kids leaving with her date after he buys them chips; a previous desire stated by the children earlier on in the play which is meant to be a metaphor for him making their dreams come to true, further relating to the optimistic ending as this further highlights this theme t audiences, leaving the film on a nice note. 

Analysing their camera angles; Soft begins with a fight with what appears to be a low quality phone camera on a distorted angle, cluing the audience in that it is most likely another teenager they're currently using the POV of to view the scene. This use of mise en scene carries on and switches to a suburban road from a birds eye view POV on what appears to be a fairly normal English day, or at least his is what is portrayed to the audience, from the change in camera and mood it is a clear indicator that not only has the POV matured there has a been an increase in wealth as the camera quality has improved; suggesting a lower class/upper class divide. This is all followed by birds chirping in the background of the film without any being visible which creates an immediate feel of suspense. This suspenseful feel isn't resolved until the car alarm in the film starts ringing, turning the mood frightful and frantic as the characters struggle with their conclusion this is relayed back to the audience with this sound effect.

Wasp opens with a sort of shaky cam effect symbolising the mothers instability with her life and her family situation, this is also further exaggerated as the opening scene is a fight between two struggling families over what seems like  completely ridiculous argument is actually a fairly accurate representation of reality. They grey bleak lighting from when they enter their home shows that they're not truly happy in their environment. Grey is a brilliant colour too use as not full being black it doesn't represent darkness but just one of the bleaker stages of life.

Both films display family from different points but both are ultimately about the overall care of children, how we treat them and the affects parents share on their lives with their children's. It questions the basis on whether or not a good parent or the right parent is an achievable goal and ultimately both decide it's not as perfection is not attainable so they highlight the key flaws in human nature so we can recognise them within.