Casablanca Essays - English-language Films, Casablanca, Films

Casablanca In choosing the movie Casablanca, I looked forward to re-aquatinting myself with a wonderful old classic Noir film. I wanted to know more about this film for a better understanding of the plot and symbolism, as well as the powerful mystique behind the film that has made Casablanca so enduring. Casablanca (1942), a review by Damian Cannon, movie review UK 1998, provided the following information: Amidst the Second World War the African City of Casablanca becomes the backdrop for Rick's Caf? (where everybody goes), as well as the many dispossessed refugees, black marketers, and a variety of colorful characters, when resistance fighter Victor Laszlo enters the scene. The plot thickens and tension becomes palpable. Accompanied by his beautiful wife Ilsa (Rick Blaines' ex-lover), Laszlo soon finds himself immersed in the seamy underworld of Casablanca, and the constant menace of the Nazi occupation with Rick's Caf? as the only neutral focal point. As the movie draws to a conclusion Rick (Humphrey Bogart) is forced to take a moral stand which leads to an interesting ending, with unexpected twists. Based on the play, ?Everybody Comes to Rick's?, Casablanca was written by Murray Burnett, and directed by Michael Curtiz. Along with Humphrey Bogart as Rick Blaine, and Ingrid Bergman as Ilsa Laszlo; Casablanca boasts a stellar cast among them; Paul Henreid as Victor Laszlo, Claude Rains as Captain Louis Renault, Peter Lorre as Ugarte, and Sydney Greenstreet as Senor' Ferrari. It is noted that the movie classic one-line comments are still somewhat of a mystery, in that its appeal remains so strong more than fifty years later! I found Mr. Cannon's review of Casablanca to be clear and concise. A quick overview of the Casablanca plot is meshed smoothly with interesting and lesser-known information concerning the behind the scenes directing from Mr. Curtiz. Mr. Cannon shows excellent insight into Casablanca's more prominent characters, and a good understanding of the movies plot and symbolism. I agree with Damian Cannon's question and puzzlement as to why Casablanca has remained so appealing through so many decades. No one working on the movie planned on making a classic, and yet Casablanca has endured. Is it the wonderful one-liners, Humphrey Bogart's hard-boiled persona, or maybe the chemistry between Rick and Ilsa? Personally, I enjoyed the continuous ebb and flow of humanity in Rick's Caf? and the wonderful ongoing atmosphere. In conclusion, my understanding of Casablanca has increased, with greater appreciation for the central characters, and the plot that developed around them. ?Here's looking at you ki d? now takes on a whole new meaning! Movies and Cinema Essays

Social Welfare Policy essays

Social Welfare Policy essays Ladies and Gentlemen, as our attention has been increasingly drawn toward the international arena, our president and his administration have conveniently avoided addressing issues that actually affect your daily lives. As a result, many of us have become complacent about such important domestic policy issues as social welfare. We have conveniently forgotten about the millions of homeless, jobless, and poverty-stricken Americans who live next door to us, instead worrying about overblown threats to national security. Well, I am here to remind you that many of the social services you rely on are in jeopardy. Your fellow citizens, your neighbors, even your friends and family members are suffering while the wallets of corporate bigwigs are being stuffed with your taxpayer dollars. Even those of you who do not rely on any governmental or outside assistance know that social services are necessary for the kind of egalitarian and just society that our founding fathers envisioned. The conservatives in power would like to sidetrack the importance of social services. They hope that blinding the public will enable them to funnel public monies directly into the doffers of big business and special interest groups. Focusing on Iraq has given President Bush the ability to fool the public into thinking that everything is alright on the home front. Well, nothing could be farther from the truth. It's time we voters woke up, smelled the coffee, and realize once again how integral social services and The conservatives would have you believe that welfare is outdated, that it does nothing to alleviate poverty and that it only encourages laziness or even the degeneration of society. These politicians and businessmen, most of whom live high on the hog, would like to deny the poor, the disenfranchised, and all marginalized members of society access to public funds. These politicians are overtly deny...