Casablanca

Batutta

Batutta

Major Contributor
Still a classic but, anyone else notice or bothered by the fact that at the end of the film, Rick befriends a rapist? It's pretty clear that Renault takes advantage of desperate women, offering them visas in exchange for sexual favors. You might not say it's rape because the women have a choice but, some of them don't really. He's a pretty damn sleazy character, and that's fine for the story, but he certainly gets off easy at the end. Perhaps being the father to a daughter makes me more sensitive now to this aspect of the story now.
 
CallaghanFilms said:
You serious?
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I'm not saying it makes the film any less of a classic. It was just an observation I had this last time I watched it. Hadn't watched it in quite sometime, and the sleaziness of this aspect of Renault's character stood out to me more. As well as the fact that nobody seems to care. I suppose Rick does to an extent, which is why he helps that girl out...He is a rapist though.
 
'Cause in a war-torn world, where you have Nazi's on one hand & on the other those who would capitalize on, take advantage of or steal from the refugees in question; Louis' "bargainings" seems the least harmful of all.
 
CallaghanFilms said:
'Cause in a war-torn world, where you have Nazi's on one hand & on the other those who would capitalize on, take advantage of or steal from the refugees in question; Louis' "bargainings" seems the least harmful of all.
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Abusing power to take sexual advantage of desperate women is pretty monstrous behavior, in any context.
 
Batutta said:
I'm not saying it makes the film any less of a classic. It was just an observation I had this last time I watched it. Hadn't watched it in quite sometime, and the sleaziness of this aspect of Renault's character stood out to me more. As well as the fact that nobody seems to care. I suppose Rick does to an extent, which is why he helps that girl out...He is a rapist though.
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What gets me is the unspeakable unauthorized "sequel" novel (which I refuse to touch, not alone read). It is in "Crystal Skull" territory for raising the ol' Callaghan blood pressure.
 
In it, Rick and Louis become lovers based solely on the bit of dialogue that says "if I were a woman & I were not around... I should be in love with Rick. But what a fool I am..."


Edit:(if you haven't noticed before, check my "Location:" ←)


Edit #2:
He ain't a rapist. Anymore than a producer with a casting couch would be. Sleazy? You betcha. Rapist? Nah.
 
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CallaghanFilms said:
Edit #2:
He ain't a rapist. Anymore than a producer with a casting couch would be. Sleazy? You betcha. Rapist? Nah.
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It's sleazier. An aspiring actress isn't living in fear of death from the Nazis. In any event, I guess it's the relative lightness with which this aspect of the story is dealt with in Casablanca that bothered me a bit this last viewing. I think what he does is pretty horrible. But at the same time Renault's an incredibly entertaining character, which makes me uncomfortable. I realize this is all personal and not a failing of the movie.
 
Agree to disagree on this one:beer:

This friendly debate is nothing compared to others ones I've had over Casablanca (of which I guess I'm something of an expert).

One time I had someone tell me that Ilsa's character was racist because of her bit of dialogue: "Who is that boy playing the piano?". Needless to say it wasn't pretty.
 
Well, it is odd because he does not look very young. But even if she was using the term with its racist connotation, it doesn't prove she is racist, only that she was using the common terminology of the day...On an unrelated note, the blu-ray looked pretty great.
 
Batutta said:
Well, it is odd because he does not look very young. But even if she was using the term with its racist connotation, it doesn't prove she is racist, only that she was using the common terminology of the day...On an unrelated note, the blu-ray looked pretty great.
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It goes beyond that. Her character speaks 5 languages that we know about (She is a Norwegian who speaks German, English and French...as well as her husband's native Czech.)*
So She:
A) could have meant "boy" as in "fella"
B) would not likely have even known that somewhat-racist American connotation of boy

Not to mention the fact that the film itself was groundbreaking for its time in its portrayal of Sam. As a black character, he was anything but a "servant". He was Rick's friend, companion and equal; plain & simple.


*This same argument I have used when someone tries to say the following exchange was a mistake:
Rick: The Germans wore grey. You wore blue.
Ilsa: Yes. I put that dress away. When the Germans march out, I'll wear it again
(then, in the flashback scene, she is clearly seen wearing a "pantsuit".)
 
CallaghanFilms said:
It goes beyond that. Her character speaks 5 languages that we know about (She is a Norwegian who speaks German, English and French...as well as her husband's native Czech.)*
So She:
A) could have meant "boy" as in "fella"
B) would not likely have even known that somewhat-racist American connotation of boy
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True...I can't blame a modern viewer for making that assumption though, because it's a strange thing to call an adult man.
 
Batutta said:
I'm not saying it makes the film any less of a classic. It was just an observation I had this last time I watched it. Hadn't watched it in quite sometime, and the sleaziness of this aspect of Renault's character stood out to me more. As well as the fact that nobody seems to care. I suppose Rick does to an extent, which is why he helps that girl out...He is a rapist though.
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You make a point, Batutta but it's a story of redemption. I think it can be argued that Rick and Captain Renault change in the end, and each recognizes the change, hence the famous line "this may be the start of a beautiful friendship". What else might they accomplish together, what adventures lay ahead? And in my opinion, audiences recognize this, and the ending works.

I am recently engaged and see the movie in a new light myself, so perhaps, due to changes in your life you are effected by a bias as well. It's part of the charm of Casablanca, it's actually a film that pays to revisit, more than a guilty pleasure.

I was struck by the fact that the title seems to invoke a metaphor for American politics. Rick is the de facto leader of Casablanca (White house or Whitehouse, if you will), he influences the local economy and assuages the various governing bodies. It's a deft analysis of world politics and a successful slight of hand, I think.

Cheers,
 
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