Casablanca Analysis

The movie Casablanca is in many ways, an allegory for America's stance on World War II and neutrality between 1935 and 1941. When the movie starts out in December of 1941, Rick is just a cynical bar owner in the Moroccan city of Casablanca who does not "stick his neck out for anybody." As time goes on he becomes an anti-Nazi idealist.

Rick tries to stay out of the city's affairs and politics while just trying to run his own business. This is evidenced in the beginning when the bug-eyed Ugarte, who killed two German couriers for their letters of transit, tries to hide out in Rick's cafe and begs Rick for his help, but he refuses. For awhile, Rick seems very cold, and shows no real allegiance to anyone constantly proclaiming his freedom from all ties political or personal, similar to the United States and its Neutrality Acts. When the Nazi Major Strauss asks Rick what he considers himself, he responds "A drunkard." Also when Signor Ferrari, a fellow bar owner, wants to make a business deal with Rick he refuses, and Ferrari responds "Isolationism is no longer a practical policy in today's world." Echoing the United States' unwillingness to support its allies and how it holds on to views and traditions that really are not practical anymore.

Rick is poised to continue his isolationist ways until something unexpected happens. His old lover, Ilsa, stumbles into his bar unknowingly with her new partner Victor Laszlo, a famous anti-Nazi writer who escaped a concentration camp and is being hunted by the Nazis. This event hits Rick by surprise much like Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor did the United States. Laszlo is looking for passage to Lisbon to evade the Nazis and continue his fight and Rick has two letters of transit. At first, Rick is jaded and reminded of his and Ilsa's old times in Paris, especially after the song "As Time Goes By" is played. The song serves as a symbol of their love and also that love is the most important thing there is, although the movie shows politics are. The song was heard when Rick and Ilsa first fell in love with each other. Rick was then left waiting for her at a train station, because unknown to him at the time, her husband Laszlo who she thought was killed was in fact