Casablanca Movie Review Essay Example

The movie Casablanca tells the story of Rick Blaine, a bar owner in Casablanca. His heart breaks when Ilsa, his sweetheart, fails to join him in his escape from Paris before the Nazis invaded. Rick’s relationship fall-out begins the movie journey depicted in an authentic World War II time period. It was on a stormy night that Rick received a letter from Ilsa telling him that she wouldn’t be coming with him to Casablanca. Realizing he has been dumped, he sadly hops onto the train and rides off to Casablanca by himself. According to Jim Piper, “Films aren’t just about people; they are also about the relationships people make…Often, in fact, a relationship is the movie” (159). It is Rick’s relationships that make this movie. Rick’s character traits are those of someone whose heart is broken. He is bitter and acts as though he doesn’t care about those around him. In spite of this, he still shows some emotions towards others at times. The relationship between Rick and Ilsa comes back to Rick when he sees Victor and Ilsa in his bar in Casablanca. This is a cruel memory for Rick that he will never get over. As for Ilsa, she could almost get over it, but her memories of time spent with Rick still linger. When Rick learns the truth about why Ilsa left him, his bitterness dissolves and the love in rekindled. At the airport, during the final scene, Rick shows the depth of his love for Ilsa by giving her and Victor a pair of exit visas, telling her to get on the plane and head for

America. He says “Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but someday you’ll regret it if you don’t get on that plane.” A tearful Ilsa gets on the plane with Victor and flies away. Thus, the relationship between Rick and Ilsa is the movie from beginning to end “Most long-term film journeys are symbolic…We attach certain hopes to the journey…The journey will change our lives..the journey really is a quest” (178). In a big way, this