Casablanca
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Casablanca
Casablanca
1942, French controlled Morocco, more specifically Casablanca. On the verge of World War II political refugees escaping Europe and Nazis in hope of reaching Lisbon fled their countries. For many Lisbon was out of reach and so they found themselves in Casablanca.
The opening credits of the film show the opposing sides of the war, the Allied forces, neutral nations and, the Axis powers. The setting for our story is Rick's Café, the layover point for many refugees. The only way out of Casablanca to Lisbon or Portugal and then on to the U.S. are the letters of transit signed by Charles DeGaulle. Rick is informed that an arrest will be made for the murder of the two German couriers in order to obtain the priceless letters of transfer. Ugarte knowing he will be arrested asks Rick to hold on to them for an hour. The Gestapo commander Major Heinrich Strasser of the Third Reich has come to assist in the investigation. At this point Victor Laszlo, the head of the Czechoslovakian resistance movement and his wife Ilsa Lund enter Ricks Café. The problem lies with deciding who will get the two exit visas Victor and Ilsa in support of the movement and the war effort or for Rick to take them and be reunited with his former lover Ilsa. Rick seems to take the U.S.'s stance on the War "I stick my neck out for nobody" and then in the end he changes his ways and decides to help out. Rick makes Ilsa get on the plane with Laszlo and then shoots Major Strasser, Renault says to "round up the usual suspects" and they decide to join Free French.
The film accurately depicts the situation with Vichy France, while France was no longer free but occupied by Nazi Germany. "It was essentially the Nazi Puppet State" that sided with Nazi Germany on most things including its racial policies. (Vichy France) On September 3, 1939, France formally declared war on Germany within days it became apparent that the French forces were being taken over and overwhelmed the collapse was...
- Submitted by: stephy9967
- Date Submitted: 04/28/2006 10:58 AM
- Category: Miscellaneous
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