h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Candi, *you* melodramatic?!

Mmmmm, Casablanca

One of these days I'd like to see the stage play that this is based on. I think it's calld "Rick's Diner", or something.

I watched it last night.
I liked the photography - beautiful shadows, and of course the acting was very good.

I enjoyed the frequent touches of dry humour, but overall I was disappointed, mainly because it's mainly a love story, and they just aren't my thing. I must be very unsentimental, because I just don't find this sort of story moves me much.

Anybody else seen it yet?

I've seen it.

I don't know if I'd call this a love story. I mean, it is, yes, but....you know, I don't know what I mean.

I was more interested in the conflicts that the love represented than the actual love itself. I think in the end I thought of it as more of a film about citizenship and service than love.

But that's just me forgetting that without the love the citizenship wouldn't've even factored in, so ignore me.

No, I'd like you to explain more about the citizenship thing - maybe I missed out on a whole aspect of the film. Please expand, if you don't mind

Well, it probably stems from the fact that I saw this as being something of a propaganda film. This didn't detract from the fact that it's an excellent movie, but considering the time that the film was released and lines that say things like (forgive me for paraphrasing, I can't quite recall them) "Now that you're on our side, I know that we'll win" and "Isolationism is " I figured that the film makers were probably out to make a political statement about whether or not joining in the war would be a good idea.

That said, nearly every character represents some group of people. The Nazis are the most obvious in that they represent Nazis. Aside from that, I saw various characters as representing certain groups of people in France, certain groups of people in England, certain groups of people in the United States, etc.

Rick/Bogart, like much of America at the time this film was made, was very neutral, knowing that it would be risky to ever "stick his neck out" for other people. He probably would've continued on this stance had Ingrid Bergman not appeared, because she represented a very tangible link to his old life (where he actually had a record of helping "the underdog" in military situations, and where he felt better about going the extra mile for other people).

Back in Paris, Rick had been hurt when he trusted Ingrid (can't for the life of me remember her name in the movie, sorry) which caused him to become the introvert that we meet in the beginning of the movie. However, when she shows up at his joint in Casablanca, this not only opens up old wounds, but it also demonstrates that sticking one's neck won't have the negative implications that Rick believed it would.

He trusted her to meet him, and she did. It just took a long time due to situations outside of their control. When Rick finally betrays the corrupt authority figures (the Nazis) and sacrifices his best shot at freedom for Ingrid and her husband, he simultaneously helps the movement against the Nazis while also demonstrating to the Captain (who always sided with the strongest authority figures prior to this (the Nazis yet again)) that it isn't always a bad thing when you actively try to help people in the face of dire consequences.

As a result, Rick (symbolic of the people of America) begins lending his support to the opposition movement (symbolic of those countries who were willing to stand and fight against Nazis) while also lending a helping hand to the military captain of Casablanca (symbolic of countries who don't necessarily like the Nazis, but had been conquered and needed support to regain their land).

At least that's what I got out of it the last time I watched it. It's basically a propaganda film that said, "Hey, other people need help and we're in a position to give it! Let's give them help before we need help as well!" Rick needed to make a choice, and he chose to go with the values that he thought to be right (his "citizenship", if you will).

And again, the fact that I think that it's propaganda doesn't really change the fact that I absolutely love this movie (I also like "The Day The Earth Stood Still", for instance, which was a bit of anti-war propaganda (and is such a beautiful bit of sci-fi)). It's stuff like this that made me see it as a movie about citizenship rather than a movie about love and love-based conflicts.

But like I said before, don't mind me. I can find symbolism and hidden meanings in some of Weird Al's songs and the musical "Little Shop Of Horrors", so I might just be tossing up meaning that isn't there.

I agree with you Affy - I remember seeing symbolism and political propaganda in the film, but I can't remember the details - I haven't found a copy of it yet...

What you say makes a lot of sense, Affy - I did get some of that when I saw the film, but I suppose I wasn't putting it into the context of the time.

It's that kinda stuff that makes me want to track down a copy of "Rick's Diner." I know that Casablanca is based on it, but I want to see if the film has been changed much from the original to add propaganda, or if "Rick's Diner" only had to be tweaked slightly.