Movies

The 1942 romantic movie Casablanca is considered one of the all-time greatest movies produced by Hollywood. The movie starred screen legends Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman as estranged lovers caught up in the tense and dangerous times of the Second World War.  In the midst of the rekindled romance between Rick Blaine (Bogart) and Ilsa Lund (Bergman) and the things happening around them, a critical thinker can find a sense of parallelism in the film to the realities of the ongoing war, thereby making the film an allegory, if not a metaphor.

In terms of metaphor or symbolism, Rick represents the United States during the World War II, and the name of his caf alone serves as an understatement. At first, he was a cynical, indifferent man running a bar in Casablanca far away from the place where his heart was broken in order to put that past behind him. At the start of the war, the United States strove to maintain its neutrality in keeping with its policy of isolationism. It was because of the  neutrality  of Ricks caf that people from belligerent nations came and secretly played a game of cat and mouse. Ilsa and her husband Lazslo represent the oppressed countries of Europe as they make a bid to freedom while being pursued by a German officer named Strasser aided by a Vichy French police officer Louis Renault. At first, Rick was reluctant to help because of his bitterness, but his love for Ilsa was so great that it finally won him over. He selflessly helped them make their escape to freedom and in the process killed Strasser who was trying to stop them from escaping. The film closes with Rick and Renault leaving the airfield with the former saying the memorable line,  I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship  (Curtiz Sennett).

This line underscored Americas new commitment by joining the war on the Allied side following the attack of Pearl Harbor and realizing that there existed a cause worth fighting for as exemplified by Ricks selfless act of helping Ilsa escape. Just as America came to the aid of Europe to restore its freedom from tyranny and oppression, Rick made his choice and America reflected that choice he made by siding with the Allies in defeating the Axis, which was further underscored when Rick killed Strasser. Besides Rick, another character who changed was Renault who at first was an opportunist siding with the Germans but later changed when he did not arrest Rick and joined him as they prepared to leave Casablanca themselves to start that  beautiful friendship  which of course symbolized the alliance between the United States and France (Sennett). Hence, despite the heart-warming romance between Rick and Ilsa, a very keen political observer would be able to see the hidden message of the film and realize that it is more than just a romantic film but a political one disguised in a love story.