MOVIE: Casablanca (Michael Curtiz, 1943)
Answer the following questions:
1) The studio system was built on the idea of efficiency, and this film exemplifies that. Look at the scene where we are introduced to Rick, from the moment we first see him to the moment where Ugarte (Peter Lorre) takes his leave to hit the roulette wheel. What do we discover about Rick in that time, and how does the film communicate it to us? Don’t just consider the dialog, look at the mise-en-scene and cinematography. Remember that mise-en-scene is everything you see, and cinematography is how that is shown to us by the camera. I want at least five pieces of information about Rick that we discover (not just what he has done, but what sort of person he is), and how the film communicates this to us. Try to find things that are implied, rather than explicitly stated. Be as precise as possible in your descriptions of how the information is given to us.
2) Look at the set of Rick’s cafe. Once you’ve watched the film, go back to the set and look for ways that it has been designed to reflect the themes and story of the film. Look for things like layout, lighting etc.
3) The film contains a flashback sequence in which we see Rick earlier in his life in Paris. The flashback looks different to the rest of the film. What is different about it, and what do the differences suggest about the difference in how Rick sees his past and his present?
