Cardon - Casablanca

The producers of major motion pictures work diligently to make sure that their film doesn’t alienate certain groups of people, because it could greatly effect the turn out in audience size. Finding common ground for everyone in the audience to agree on is important in regards to the overall success of the film. In the early stages of the film, Isla and Laszlo enter Rick’s café. Laszlo is unaware of the relationship his wife, Isla, and Rick had during the time of his absence. In the scene pictured, four of the main characters are present: Rick, Isla, Laszlo, and Captain Renault. A viewer could take this particular scene and use it’s elements as foreshadowing of what is to come. Isla is sitting down at the table looking at Rick with a certain smirk on her face. Captain Renault clearly realizes that there is something between the two, without having any prior knowledge to their previous relationship. Laszlo is placed further back to the right. He has a look of concern on his face as he looks at Rick. Both Rick and Isla are staring at one another as if no one else were around. The lighting is very low key with dramatic shadows. This use of light not only sets the mood of the nightclub, but it also adds to the mystery of the situation at hand. The frame is most definitely social. All four characters are in the frame, which captures their meeting.