Isolationism to Activism HUM 3280: Narrative Film Fall 2014 Dr. Perdigao September 15-17, 2014

Framing Director: Michael Curtiz Rick Blaine: Humphrey Bogart Ilsa Lund: Ingrid Bergman Victor Laszlo: Paul Henreid Captain Louis Renault: Claude Rains Ugarte: Peter Lorre Shot in a studio Sacrificing personal happiness for a higher cause; triumph of duty over cynicism (Roberts 133) Romance and sacrifice, cynicism and idealism Political propaganda Educate and entertain Aid America’s war effort (Roberts 134)

Conception Murray Burnett, NY high school vocational teacher, traveled to Europe in 1938 War on horizon; Adolf Hitler’s presence 1936, Hitler’s armies in Rhineland, overrun Czechoslovakia Burnett witnessed exodus of refugees Sat in café on France’s Mediterranean coast listening to black American piano player entertain those at café en route out of Europe, to Casablanca in French Morocco, with hopes of heading to Lisbon and US 1940, Burnett and Joan Allison wrote play entitled Everyone Comes to Rick’s Generated interest but failed to be produced; Burnett and Allison turned to Hollywood (Roberts )

Redesign Original play as anti-Nazi but not pro-war December 8, 1941, day after Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and US entry into WWII, play reached Warner Bros.’ story analyst Steven Karnot Warner Bros.’ producer Hal Wallis interested, purchased rights and renamed story Setting of Casablanca: early December 1941 Opening: With the coming of the Second World War, many eyes in imprisoned Europe turned hopefully, or desperately, toward the freedom of the Americas. Lisbon became the great embarkation point. But not everybody could get to Lisbon directly; and so, a tortuous, roundabout refugee trail sprang up. Paris to Marseilles, across the Mediterranean to Oran, then by train, or auto, or foot, across the rim of Africa to Casablanca in French Morocco. Here, the fortunate ones through money, or influence, or luck, might obtain exit visas and scurry to Lisbon, and from Lisbon to the New World. But the others had to wait in Casablanca, and wait, and wait, and wait. (Roberts 135)

Role-playing Laszlo as leader of Czech resistance to Nazi domination Introduction of Rick Blaine—anti-fascist background, supplying guns to Ethiopia, fought Spain on Loyalists’ side Rick as “a man without a country” (Roberts 136) From active idealist to drunken cynic As “citizen of the world”

Reception Film as propaganda document Premiered on Thanksgiving Day, November 26, 1942, 19 days after US had landed at Casablanca in Morocco and in Algeria—first “American blow against the Nazis” (Roberts 136) US President Franklin Roosevelt, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, and Soviet Premier Joseph Stalin met to plan against Germany—Roosevelt’s headquarters called “Rick’s Place” (Roberts 136) Rick as “symbol of America, and his transition from isolationism to involvement underscored America’s similar transition” (Roberts 137)

Theming Warner Bros. “types” during Studio Era, from end of WWI to WWII: films— “blunt and tough and fast”—and characters—urban, cynical, mean, not stupid (Roberts 137) Jack Warner, head of production—liberal and patriotic; lieutenant colonel during WWII Howard Koch, screenwriter, had adapted H.G. Wells’ The War of the Worlds for Welles’ broadcast Political radical—eventually blacklisted in Hollywood Rick’s anti-fascist credentials added into film Idea of America’s isolationism—everyone asleep in America, before Pearl Harbor attacks

Control Office of War Information (OWI) established Bureau of Motion Pictures (BMP) under Roosevelt to oversee film industry—pictures to “help win the war” (Roberts 139) In BMP report, Casablanca presents US as “haven of the oppressed and homeless,” defender of democracy and freedom (Roberts 139) Rumors script unfinished as filming began at end of May 1942 Rumor that it was undecided until the end of shooting whether Ilsa leaves Casablanca with Laszlo or stays behind Two different endings written, even shot Ilsa’s confessions of love—to Rick, not Laszlo

Coding Production codes—Motion Picture Producers and Distributors Association (MPPDA), head Ignatius Breen—as wholesome entertainment Motion Picture Production Code—cannot involve hero and heroine in adulterous affair, “sanctity of the institution of marriage and the home shall be upheld” (140) Breen had objected to use of “damn” in Gone with the Wind Toned down Renault’s role and dialogue Roberts, Randy. “You Must Remember This: The Case of Hal Willis’ Casablanca.” Hollywood’s America: Twentieth-Century America Through Film. 4 th ed. Ed. Steven Mintz and Randy W. Roberts. Malden, MA: Wiley-Blackwell, Print.