| The Epstein brothers created
Casablanca, a romantic
adventure, like no other of its time. There are few movies that are loved by men
and women alike. Casablanca is one such movie. It successfully combines action,
adventure, love and romance into a film loved by all.
What makes this film a
favorite of women? Lets take a closer look at the film and find out. Casablanca
is set in the exotic land of Morocco where refuges wait for passage to America,
the Promised Land. In a popular American café, Rick, the café owner, hides from
the memories of a lost love. Rick is a mysterious, masculine hero who hides
behind a hard outer shell but is really thoughtful and unpredictable. Rick soon
runs into the girl he loves, Ilsa. Ilsa Lund is a beautiful woman who is torn
between two lovers. Thus begins the tender love story that women cannot turn
away from.
Ilsa comes into Rick’s club with her husband Victor Laszlo, a
Czech freedom fighter wanted by the Germans. From the beginning, women love Rick
far more than they love Victor because of his mysterious masculinity. Victor
Laszlo is a hero yet, not nearly as loveable as Rick. Rick holds the only two
letters of transit that can guarantee Victor and Ilsa’s escape. We are left
wondering and waiting to see if Rick will do the right thing and give Ilsa the
papers.
Another important part of the movie that women love is the music.
The song “As Time Goes By” is the song that belongs to the true lovers and is
played over and over by Rick’s devoted friend, Sam. Women enjoy the lasting
relationship between Sam and Rick and the compassion of Sam for both Rick and
Ilsa.
When Rick is forced with the decision of what to do with the letters
of transit Rick speaks with Ilsa and Ilsa asks Rick to think for both of them
and make the decision. In the end, Rick sacrifices himself for the happiness of
Ilsa and Victor as well as the war against Germany. He risks his own life for
others even though he is quoted as saying, “I stick my neck out for nobody” and,
“I’m the only cause I’m interested in.” This is an endearing quality. Women want
to be Ilsa, and dream of loving a man like Rick.
Now to try and find out why
such a romantic love story is a favorite of men. Men like action, adventure,
corruption and sexy intrigue. The movie is filmed at a time of war. The main
character is a cool and collected, suave owner of a Casablanca café. The café
offers what every man dreams of: gambling, drinking, smoking, good music and
beautiful women.
Men love Ilsa for her sexy yet innocent appeal. She is a
very emotional character and offsets Rick’s stone-face. Ilsa is the perfect
woman, a damsel in distress to be saved by the hero. Yet, she does not get in
the way of the action and aggression of the film.
There is action and
adventure in almost every scene. The action begins with Ugarte when he is
captured for killing the Germans to steal the letters of transit. There is male
interest with the corruption of Captain Louis Renault. There is even action in
the flashback scene when the Germans invade Paris. Action continues with the
fight between Yvonne’s new German boyfriend and the Frenchman at the bar and is
broken up by Rick in his tough-guy fashion. Men even enjoy the fight for who can
out-sing the other in the battle of the anthems. There is action all the way to
the final scenes when Major Strasser is murdered at the airport.
Casablanca
is a tale that is loved for its appeal to men and women alike. It has all of the
necessary ingredients, action, adventure, romance and mystery. It is a film that
people will watch again and again and enjoy it each and every
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