Exploring the Literary Genre of Casablanca by Michael Curtiz
Literary Genre
Literary Genre is the way the author builds or tells the story for the reader. The Literary genre of a text consists of the devices and techniques that impact on the reader’s emotions and thoughts.
Exploring the Literary Genre of ‘Casablanca’ by Michael Curtiz.
‘Casablanca’ is a melodrama; a war move that explores of the universal themes of love and sacrifice, but when the film was released in 1942, audiences viewed it as a political allegory about World War II.
Narrator:
In ‘Casablanca’, the story is told in the third person. What we see and hear on screen has been carefully selected and presented to us by director Michael Curtiz. However, during the film we also see events from different characters’ points of view. In ‘Casablanca’, the audience for the most part sees from the perspective of Rick and his experiences. Most audience members feel comfortable with this type of narration because they feel like they can relate to one character. Rick, for example, as the central character, is framed by the camera in particular ways, and events are often seen through his eyes. A brief series of shots introduces Rick and is designed to align the viewer’s consciousness to his. First his hand is seen signing an advance slip; the shot is positioned so that it appears that a (right-handed) person in the audience is reaching up to the screen to sign the slip. Then the camera pans up to his expressionless face as he drags on a cigarette; he is playing a solitary game of chess while monitoring activities in the casino. Moments later, when he confronts a pompous German who has been denied entry, his whole body emerges from the viewer’s space as he walks into the frame. Presumably the director, Michael Curtiz, felt the need positively to persuade viewers to identify with Rick because he is not immediately likeable or worthy of admiration, in contrast to resistance leader Victor Laszlo, a more attractive heroic character who consistently articulates
Literary Genre is the way the author builds or tells the story for the reader. The Literary genre of a text consists of the devices and techniques that impact on the reader’s emotions and thoughts.
Exploring the Literary Genre of ‘Casablanca’ by Michael Curtiz.
‘Casablanca’ is a melodrama; a war move that explores of the universal themes of love and sacrifice, but when the film was released in 1942, audiences viewed it as a political allegory about World War II.
Narrator:
In ‘Casablanca’, the story is told in the third person. What we see and hear on screen has been carefully selected and presented to us by director Michael Curtiz. However, during the film we also see events from different characters’ points of view. In ‘Casablanca’, the audience for the most part sees from the perspective of Rick and his experiences. Most audience members feel comfortable with this type of narration because they feel like they can relate to one character. Rick, for example, as the central character, is framed by the camera in particular ways, and events are often seen through his eyes. A brief series of shots introduces Rick and is designed to align the viewer’s consciousness to his. First his hand is seen signing an advance slip; the shot is positioned so that it appears that a (right-handed) person in the audience is reaching up to the screen to sign the slip. Then the camera pans up to his expressionless face as he drags on a cigarette; he is playing a solitary game of chess while monitoring activities in the casino. Moments later, when he confronts a pompous German who has been denied entry, his whole body emerges from the viewer’s space as he walks into the frame. Presumably the director, Michael Curtiz, felt the need positively to persuade viewers to identify with Rick because he is not immediately likeable or worthy of admiration, in contrast to resistance leader Victor Laszlo, a more attractive heroic character who consistently articulates