Living with the movie for the 81st day
Tuesday, February 21, 2017
Title: Casablanca Casablanca (1942), Michael Curtis
Nanjing, home
I haven't read much behind the scenes and critical articles about La La Land, and I know that discerning fans can sense that there is some connection between this film and Casablanca, not only because the protagonists talk about the film, but also because of the beautiful ending, which actually mimics "there are so many bars in so many cities in the world, and she walked into my room"—the reunion of Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bowman in the film, and the reunion of Gosling and Emma Stone.
I think Damien Chazere must have been going for this when he wrote his story — they absolutely can't be together, they must sacrifice love for the sake of ideals. But after all, times have changed, and Bogart and Baumann (playing Rick and Ilsa) have an ideal of anti-fascist war and a cause for people all over the world, while Gosling and Stone (playing Sebastian and Mia) have an ideal of being actors and jazz, which is a personal career in capitalist society.
But those who watch movies and are moved, who will really care about what world and what ideals? What people lament and weep is only love. Love sacrificed by morality, sacrificed by career, the love of a man and a woman.
There must be a song here that can only be listened to by two people. Are there a song that a person wouldn't dare to listen to, like Rick wouldn't dare to listen to Sam's "Time Flow"?
There must be a glass of wine here, which can only be drunk by one person. Have you ever been reunited with another person after a long absence, and drank alone at night like Rick, who turned off the lights and closed the door?
Here be sure to remember what she or he was wearing to see you that day. As Rick says he remembers the day the Germans occupied Paris, "the Germans are all dressed in gray, and you are dressed in blue." This is one of my favorite lines of dialogue, which makes this black-and-white movie seem to have color. Colors that only lovers can see.
If everything is a routine. Then "Casablanca" brings together all the routines that are so enduring. From 1942 to 2017, for 75 years, people kept talking about this movie, not in life, but also in movies. From Woody Allen's "Dumb Goose" to Nora Aphron's "When Harry Meets Sally," Casablanca influenced the characters in these films, who discussed their lives and loves about that great ending.
In addition to Woody Allen and Nora Aphron, another New Yorker, John Kasawitz, made Minnie and Moskowitz (1971). The heroine Minnie Mouse, after watching Casablanca, said that she didn't like "the woman" (Bowman), she said:
“...... The world is full of lunatics who are fascinated by your body, and your mind, your heart, your soul, your everything. If they don't get this, they're going to die and live. But once they have it, they have no interest in it. ”
“...... But movies have never been like this. ...... They are a conspiracy, and they want to regulate your words and deeds. From the very young age, they call you to believe everything. Believe in ideals, strength, and good people. And of course there's love. ”
"But you just believe it. Am I right? You grow up, you come into contact with society, you start to pay attention to your surroundings, but nothing happens. You get a job and get on with life. You start spending time cleaning up your room. Try to make yourself more feminine. But...... I've never met Humphrey Bogart and Clark Gable. There is not a single such man. (Dialogue translated from "Hollywood and the Difficulty of Love")
It's a sober woman, and it's real life that makes her so sober. Of course I fully understand this woman's words, life has hurt her, and the movie has hurt her again.
If so, why do I go to see movies that are "fake" over and over again? To anesthetize yourself or deceive yourself, to be soothed in order to see others in pain, or to feel hope to see others succeed? It seems to be, and it is not.
When we are in life, we grow into a sober audience. We can tell that Casablanca is not really Casablanca, it's in the studio of Los Angeles (as also said in "Philharmonic City"), it is a dream place. The movies here and the love in the movies lose the guiding meaning of life, but become a simple work of art, becoming the object of our appreciation.
Many great loves and great romances are mostly caused by the situation. Just as City Lights (1931) was born during the Great Depression, Casablanca was born during World War II. Warner bought the script the day after the Attack on Pearl Harbor, and the political surge was to be expected. It was a hasty project, with a lot of scripts handled and constantly revised at the start of filming. The classic dialogue we see now is something you and I put together. The set designer and the prop designer start working on the next day after each day's shooting.
Until the last day of filming, Ingrid Bowman didn't know who she was going to fly with—her husband or her lover, both of whom loved her so much, both men of high character. This dazedness hit Bowman's face like a soft light, which was particularly heartbreaking.
What we witness is how a love affair does not survive the moral and political wrangling. Until the last moment, Illsa was clearly still struggling. The last person to get on the plane with her was her husband, whom she could not betray, not the lover she loved more deeply. Maybe the audience at the time would think that Rick's behavior was so noble, but now the audience seems that he is really stupid.
But that doesn't stop us from thinking the film is so naïve, cute, and charming. Isn't that what love is all about? Falling in love in confusion and being separated by stupidity— no matter how noble or unbearable the cause.
Rick and Ilsa lost Casablanca but owned Paris forever ." ）。 Casablanca is where they are reunited, the present, and Paris is the place where they are in love, the past. What a shame. And when the plane is gone, the city night sky we see on the screen is actually Los Angeles, a La La Land. What a shame.
In the preface to Why Read the Classics, Calvino quotes a writer as saying, "While the poison is in preparation, Socrates is practicing a piece of music with the flute." What's the use of that? Someone asked him. At least I can learn this tune before I die. ’”
Maybe that analogy isn't appropriate, but I also think that if someone is breaking up, or just before time is about to kill love, they should watch Casablanca together. What's the use of that? But maybe you'll recall that you once owned Paris.
Week 12 American Romance
February 21 (Tuesday) Casablanca Casablanca (1942), Michael Curtis
AnAffair to Remember (1957) On Wednesday, February 22, Leo McCarré
Thursday, February 23 The Apartment (1960), Billy Wilder
Friday, February 24 Annie Hall (1977), Woody Allen
On Saturday, February 25, when Harry met Sally Harry Met Sally... (1989), Rob Reiner
February 26 (Sunday) Love before dawn Before Sunrise (1995), Richard Linklater
Wei Xidi lives as usual · WeChat: iweixidi
【2016.12.3 - 2017.12.2】
Goodbye love and move on with life