Casablanca Close-Up (“Play It, Sam” Sequence)

Overview

This sequence begins with Rick glumly drinking in his café alone, after coincidentally reuniting with Ilsa after she happens to walk into his abode, stating the famous line: “of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, she walks into mine”. After Sam walks in, he requests for him to play As Time Goes By, reminding himself of his time with Ilsa in Paris. We then transition into a flashback sequence. This example of analepsis serves to contextualise Rick and Ilsa’s relationship in Paris, also informing us that Ilsa ran away without telling Rick in order to save her husband – Laszlo – whom she’d presumed to be dead in a concentration camp.

Cinematography

The scene where Rick sits in the bar is shot with dim lighting, shrouding Rick within a thick shadow. This aptly reflects his distraught state of mind.

The closeup of Ilsa’s final note to Rick is left on the screen for an appropriate amount of time as to provide the viewer with enough time to read it. The fact that the ink is melting on the page is perhaps also symbolic of the two lovers’ relationship melting away.

As Ilsa enters Rick’s café when we return to the present, over-exposure is implemented to portray Ilsa as a beacon of light. This illustrates her as an angelic deity, entering Rick’s dark inner sanctum.

Sound

As we transition into the analeptic flashback sequence, Steiner’s non-diegetic soars to a crescendo in the mix.

During the café sequence, Sam can be seen playing As Time Goes By, which recontextualises the previous interaction between Sam and Ilsa.

Mise-en-scène

The shot of Rick and Ilsa driving is shot with the use of back projection, creating the illusion of a Parisian vista being behind the couple.

Makeup has been applied to Rick and Ilsa to make them appear younger during the flashback sequence. Rick’s face appears to be much less wrinkly and rugged due to the fact that he is wearing concealer.

The Eiffel Tower can be seen in the background of the set, informing the audience that we are in Paris. A number of props can also be seen throughout this sequence, such as Ilsa’s beret and a model of the Eiffel Tower in the café. These silently remind the viewer of the location that this flashback is taking place in – Paris.

The heavy rain at the train station as Rick hopelessly waits for Ilsa to arrive is an example of pathetic fallacy, reflecting Rick’s distressed inner turmoil.

Editing

Despite the fact that Sam is playing piano, the camera remains on a closeup of Rick, highlighting his importance as the protagonist.

To initiate the flashback sequence, the camera pushes into a tight closeup of Rick, before fading to white. We then cross-fade between an array of positive memories of Rick and Ilsa in Paris, characterising their relationship.

Performance

Rick utters his famous line: “Here’s looking at you, kid” during the flashback, foreshadowing Rick and Ilsa’s final goodbye at the end of the film.

Context and Representation

The use of analepsis in the film is a notable deviation from the Classical Hollywood style. The vast majority of films released throughout this period were told in a predominantly linear fashion, as to tell a simple narrative in a clear and easily digestible fashion. Despite this, the extended flashback sequence is told through normal continuity as to not confuse the viewer.

The striking implementation of real wartime newsreel footage ground this sequence in reality, reinforcing the war setting that the film was both set and filmed during.

Rick dons a trench coat and hat during the train station scene, paying homage to Humphrey Bogart’s classic detective roles during the Film Noir scene. This is an example of Warner Bros. capitalising on the ‘stable’ of stars that they possessed, using them to their fullest capability.

Auteur

The dialogue during the flashback sequence is highly expositional, serving to clearly explaining the events of the Nazis invading France. The viewer now has a clear understanding of Rick and Ilsa’s relationship in Paris, and thus forms an emotional connection to them.