Chapter two of Terry Christensen and Peter Haas’ book Projecting Politics, “The Making of a Message” explores how political messages can be most effectively projected through film production and techniques. The authors state the most common way films send political messages is through the screenplay, which entails the subject matter, characters and plotting. In political films, dialogue is of the utmost importance; more words are spoken and what is said is given greater weight. Dialogue is a precarious aspect of the film because if too much is said then the movie is deemed inactive and boring; if the political implications are too obvious, the effectiveness of the messages can be subverted; and if the film is too understated, the political messages might be overlooked. Therefore, the authors argue that political films are most effective when they allow audiences to infer their own conclusions, or at least let them think that they have.
     This notion is relevant to my thesis, as the political messages in Casablanca are not verbally broadcasted throughout the film; but rather, they are embedded in dialogue that is relevant to the narrative of the story. A perfect example of this is when Rick says, “Louis, this is a start of a beautiful friendship”- words that allow us to reach our own conclusions. We may interpret the words on a surface level, as simply reconciliation between friends within a story; or we may look beneath the surface and infer the political implications of the words – the start of a great friendship between an American and a Frenchmen to signify supporting an American alliance with European countries to fight against the Nazi regime.
     The authors also discuss movie conventions that can be used in a political film to minimize the risk of controversy. The most relevant to my thesis is personalization, when movies with a political subject matter focus on the personal drama of politically active characters, making them more acceptable and accessible to mass audiences. This is in direct accordance with my thesis, as it supports the notion that because Casablanca works so well as a character drama, it is such an effective form of propaganda.
     Another important element of the film that the chapter touches upon is the importance of casting. The casting of movie stars influences the effectives of the political messages on the public. “Stars are the creation of the public: political and psychological models who demonstrate some quality we admire" (33). This notion of the star system and the affect it has on viewers is pertinent to my thesis because it shows the profound capacity of the character Rick Blaine, and the actor Humphrey Bogart, to sway public opinion. The book states, “the so-called star system frequently cues the audience to political values transmitted by a movie" (33). Thus the casting of an actor who is renowned as an American icon, like Humphrey Bogart, reassures audiences that the movie they are seeing supports National (American) values and serves to enhance the legitimacy of the political messages being sent.

     This source is of particular interest to the paper because it was written at the time of the films release. This is the original New York Times movie review that the makers of Casablanca were anxiously awaiting on November 7th 1942. Michael Curtiz and company certainly had nothing to worried about as Bosley Crowther gave the film a rave review and hailed it as “one of the year’s most exciting and trenchant films.” Crowther awards Casablanca for its flawless combination of sentiment, humor, and sorrow to create a film that is both entertaining and inspiring. The review also comments on the film’s underlying political message, particularly in Humphrey Bogart’s performance as Rick Blaine. Crowther states that the film uses Bogart’s role “to inject a cold point of tough resistance to evil forces afoot in Europe today.” This statement is so telling because it reflects the reaction of audiences during the actual time of the film’s debut; it shows that the film was viewed as a vehicle for propaganda to communicate support of the war effort and a fight against fascism. This review is extremely insightful because it puts the movie into its historical context by lending us the perspective of a movie critic of that specific time period.

     Casablanca has the reputation of being an "accidental masterpiece." In this article, Gary Green maintains that the brilliance of the film was no accident at all and that proof of the film's mastery can be found in its visual style, which can be attributed to the director Michael Curtiz. In directing Casablanca, Curtiz placed great importance on emphasizing the atrocities of the war, specifically the monstrous capability for evil of the Nazi regime and their control of the Vichy government. Yet even with the stressed war element, Curtiz visualized the film as a "mood piece", which is certainly reflected in the visual style of the film. Curtiz uses cinematic techniques of the German Expressionist tradition and film noir, such as emphasis of the mis-en-scene and the use of dark lighting and shadow to create meaning in the film. Green suggests that these stylistic ingredients attribute to Casablanca's visual aesthetic and narrative capabilities. Specifically, Green takes note of two ingredients: thematic darkness and the use of the 'triangle'. 

     Green finds two dominant triangles in the film: a political triangle between Rick Blaine, Louis Renault, and Major Strasser and a romantic triangle between Rick, Ilsa Lund, and Victor Lazlo. In both of these triangles, Rick functions as the focal character, which is visually apparent in the placement of his character in two parallel scenes where the triangles are first introduced in Rick's Café Americain. In both instances, Rick sits in the same spot at both Strasser's and Lazlo's tables. It is here that we see how Curtiz explores the two triangles by giving viewers a visual that lends narrative meaning. This is also evident in the final scene at the airport where he uses two shots and close-ups to show the dismembering of both triangles. Ultimately, Ilsa is visually and narratively linked to Lazlo, while Rick is linked to Renault. This last scene is the darkest visually as it reflects Rick's inner emotions. Curtiz utilizes light and darkness to allow audiences to profoundly connect to Rick as a character in the film and ultimately connect to the values and sentiment that he stands for. It is no coincidence that those values are those that reflect American ideals during WWII. This is the fundamental notion of my thesis; political messages are embedded in the character development and narrative of the film, making it an effective conduit for propaganda.
     This article is very helpful for my thesis because it reevaluates Casablanca by delving into the stylistic elements that give the film both aesthetic and narrative value. The motif of the triangle would be an interesting way to analyze the evolution of Rick's character. Throughout the film, he functions as both a literal and figurative focal point of a political and romantic triangle. These two triangles can be seen as a parallel of the two ultimate conflicts in Casablanca, politics and romance, and in the end Rick must choose between the two. Rick's final choice is what ultimately breaks up the triangles-he is no longer the apathetic middleman who is playing a game of tug-of-war, but rather he is a self-sacrificing idealist who chooses to take a political stance and join the fight against fascism. This article enhances my thesis because it shows the ability of stylistic techniques - the visual motif of the triangle along with the darkness that pervades the film - to absorb viewers into Rick's frame of mind and ultimately the political messages that he represents. The result is a profound investment in Rick as both a fictitious character in a drama and a stand-in for a political cause, one that reflects American ideals of anti-fascism and anti-isolationism.

     In her article entitled "Casablanca", Kristi M. Wilson touches upon many aspects of the film’s content and production. She begins by summarizing the film and continues on to sing its praises by illustrating all of the awards and nominations that it received at the time of its release. The article also lends insight into the sentiment of production studios, like Warner Bros., at the time that the film was produced. Since most Americans resisted the idea of U.S. involvement in the war in Europe at the time during which Casablanca was set, Jack Warner has been credited as declaring war on Germany early, not only with Casablanca, but also with even earlier films like Confessions of a Nazi Spy (1939). Wilson goes on to say that at the beginning of the war, a time when opposition to the Nazi regime was not common, Harry and Jack Warner were of the few Hollywood moguls who were anti-Hitler. In fact, 1934 marked the year that Warner Bros. became the first studio to shut down business and leave Germany. It wasn’t until the years 1942-1945 that Hollywood began producing feature films that grappled with the subject of war and were aimed to promote the nation’s support for the Allied war effort. Information concerning the political beliefs of Warner Bros. is essential to a thorough analysis of Casablanca as a vehicle for propaganda. The political messages of the film - anti-fascist and pro-war effort - can be traced back to the origins of its creation, the studio. This serves to highlight the propagandistic undertones of the film.
    At the end of the article, Wilson describes Casablanca as a film that has endured the test of time as it has resonated throughout American culture. Over the years, there have been songs, commercials, magazine advertisements, and book titles that show traces of the film’s influence. For this reason, the film’s ability to permeate into contemporary American culture long after its release, Casablanca can be seen as a ‘cult object’. An interesting and relevant example that Wilson sites is how Humphrey Bogart’s character is said to have triggered skyrocketing trench coat sales. Bogart’s ability to influence the American audience, even if it is in terms of fashion, demonstrates the tremendous power he has over public opinion; a power that is particularly useful in conveying political messages.

     This article talks about the "vacillating realities" that exist throughout Casablanca. In other words, how Michael Curtiz conflates the imaginary and the real in order to create a film that ultimately promotes the message of US involvement in WWII. The film is laden with inaccuracies and historical flaws. One example is the discrepancy between the cinematic depiction of Casablanca and the real city of Casablanca. Production designers chose to present an entirely fictitious city, where not a single building of the French or Moroccan town is present and where there is only the dark and the light, the good and the bad-where gray does not exist. The article states, "the camera's lens became America's prosthetic eye, and where there was once an incomprehensible chaotic world, now a clear image of right and wrong came sharply into focus." The result of this set design is a ‘new' Casablanca that gives the American audience a clear-cut vision, one in which the unifying idea of the film is transparent.

     Another example of an inaccuracy in the film is the wrongful depiction of uniformed Germans in Casablanca; studio writers knew that the German army did not set foot in Casablanca during WWII, but their presence enhanced the message of the film. By depicting fictitious Germans, Americans, Frenchmen, and Resistance leaders in simple exchanges and encouraging the viewers to associate each character with his or her respective nation and international policies, the film efficiently transforms a complex political situation into an easily comprehendible set of social relationships.

     This article is of the utmost importance for my thesis because it exhibits the film's focus on political effectiveness over historical accuracy in the attempt to communicate an ideology to viewers. It reveals the nuanced political propaganda that is embedded in the infrastructure of the film, whether it is in the narrative, characters, or set design. This concept enhances the idea that the film serves as a vehicle for propaganda in a way that does not overtly attack viewers. The article is of particular interest to the thesis because it shows us that if a number of historical flaws are intentionally present, it is because they were deemed necessary in order to accomplish an objective: to sedate the general American opposition to US involvement in WWII.

      In this article, Richard Raskin discusses the release of Casablanca in 1942 within the context of American attitudes toward the Vichy and Free-French forces. He begins by discussing prior political analyses of the film, specifically the one that states that Rick's change of heart symbolizes President Roosevelt's and the nation's shift from isolationism to involvement in the war. Raskin maintains that this interpretation of the political significance of the film is justified but not sufficient. He takes it one step further by explaining that the film also contrasts two political alternatives: accommodation with Vichy versus opting for the Free French. Ultimately, the film is pro-Free French and anti-Vichy; it was designed to portray the Free French as America's natural ally in the fight against the Germans and simultaneously portray a negative image of the Vichy as corrupt and serving the interests of Germany. As a result, there is every reason to believe that the film influenced millions of American viewers to feel a profound political and emotional identification with the Free French in 1942-1943. However, Raskin finds a contradiction in the message of Casablanca in the context of its time of release. In supporting the Free French and anti-fascism, the film misinformed the American public of the essentially anti-Free French orientation of American policy and US support of Vichy leaders in North Africa at the time.

     Despite Raskin's belief that Casablanca served to blur public awareness at the time of the film's release, this only further demonstrates the immense ideological influence of the film on American movie-goers. This article provides somewhat of a counter-argument to my thesis as it states that the film does not in fact reflect American foreign policy. In that sense, it is particularly useful for my thesis because in developing any good argument, it is important to take note of the opposing view. Raskin's analysis of the political significance of Casablanca, though it may vary from my own, gives insight into the historical context of the film's production and release. In addition, it shows the propagandistic capacity of the film and how affected audiences were by its political implications.

    Dana Polan discusses how American cinema changed during WWII as it began to reflect propagandist messages and wartime affirmation. However, creating films that had both propaganda and entertainment value was not an easy task. Filmmakers had to seamlessly tie together a Hollywood story and a larger narrative of war engagement. Casablanca is an example of a film that successfully executed the duality of entertainment and propaganda by using the  "conversion narrative", a narrative in which a person who is indifferent and cynical about the war converts to become involved and supportive of the war effort.
    A supreme example of "conversion narrative" can be found in the character development of Rick. His initial cynicism ultimately gives way to a commitment to a greater good. Despite his final decision, the ending of the film remains ambiguous and viewers are uncertain of what the characters will do when they part, and more importantly how the war will end. In this sense, viewers at the time of the films release could relate to the ambiguity of the characters onscreen, as they too understand the concepts of love, loss, and confusion during wartime. Rick's conversion process makes him a much more identifiable character with American audience compared to the clear-cut and one-sided narrative that surrounds Lazlo. Rick is human in his multi-faceted nature and is therefore a character that speaks to the American audience, making him the perfect mouthpiece for political messages.

     Published shortly before the United States went to war with Iraq, this Newsweek article claims that Americans today are as much like Rick Blaine in Casablanca as they were during the time of the films release. Chris Matthews uses Humphrey Bogart's Rick Blaine as a lens through which to look at American sentiment in the face of a war against terrorism. Like Rick Blaine, Americans are plagued with the decision of either protecting our own interests by keeping to ourselves or taking action in a fight to protect the world at large. Matthews argues that America is both historically and innately been a "reluctant warrior" - a country that will take action if the cause is worth fighting for. Matthews fears that the Bush administration's policy toward Iraq is defying American sentiment as the "reluctant warrior" and threatens us with dangerous consequences.  
    This article shows that while Casablanca is a film that pertains to the time in which it was made, its relevance is universal. Beyond the political messages that it may convey, the film ultimately teaches viewers that often times a fight for the greater good is worth a sacrifice of personal desires. Like the hero of Casablanca, we are a country unimpressed by generals in fancy uniform and unafraid by the plight of our enemies. And when someone or something we value is endangered, in the same way that Rick's ideals were in the film, it is certain that we will retaliate. Matthews worries that in declaring war on Iraq, America would not be fighting for the right reasons.
    This article would be a great way to conclude the paper as it demonstrates the significant weight that Rick's character holds, as he is a character whose outlook on world events surpasses the test of time. In 1942, Casablanca was a film that reflected wartime engagement; it grappled with the issues of love, loss, self-sacrifice, and duty. In 2002 and today, the sentiment and message of the film has yet to lose its relevance.