Good and Evil as It Pertains to Casablanca

In this paper we will discuss the difference between good and evil as it pertains to the thoughts and actions of a few characters in the movie Casablanca, and how their actions coincide with the ethical view points of Kant, and Mill. Kant was a believed that our ethics are based on rational thought and duty as it effects others around us, where as Mill believed in consequences of our actions have the most weight on our decision making process.

Two of the main characters in the movie are Rick Blaine, and Victor Laszlo, in the beginning of this movie we see the most from Rick as the majority of the movie is set inside of his gin joint. From his day to day movements Rick appears to have absolutely no morals or ethical code as it relates to any one besides himself, he takes no sides in the war raging around him, gives no aid to a man that came to him for sanctuary and even continually states that he has no interest in taking any side but his own. You begin to feel as if in this movie he is going to be the “bad” guy and just keep his head down as everyone else around him is trying to either escape before the Nazis invade or they are taking up the cause and trying to aid the rebellion against them. Rick seems to be leaning more towards the Mill theory of thinking only about the consequences to his self, not on how his actions could help the greater good.

In the first few scenes of the movie, Rick is given blank travel documents, one that could not be questioned or revoked they were basically a get out of town free cards. Later in the movie the other main character comes into play who is Victor Laszlo, he is the iconic revolutionary that the vast majority of the rebellion is based around, he has already escaped from the Nazis in every major city and has come to Casablanca to get the travel papers that will allow him to seek freedom from persecution in America, with him is his wife, who is Ricks old love.

When asked for the papers Rick says no, he will not give them up so that Victor can be free to lead the revolution, but will keep them so that he can sell them. Only after his old love comes to him and gives him a reason to believe that she will stay with him and the she loves him dose he agree to give