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.

Citation:

Wilson, Kristi. "Casablanca." St. James Encyclopedia of Popular Culture. Gale Group, 1 January 2000.

In this article, Kristi Wilson gives a brief summary of the plot of the movie and expands on this superficial interpretation of the film by analyzing how the film presented a strong antifascist sentiment.  Wilson begins by contrasting the different characters in the film.  To begin, Lazlo and Isle gain sympathetic compassion from viewers on account of their troubling situation and the flashback history of chaos they experienced in Vichy-France.  This is used the make the viewers feel empathetic towards the French Resistance.  A deeper connection with such sentiment is achieved through the development of Rick’s character.  Rick, whose involvement in the resistance becomes increasingly apparent as the movie progresses, creates a heroic character image in which the viewers support his endeavors.  Wilson explains how such support is augmented by the viewers’ hope that his romantic endeavors succeed.  In contrast with these characters, the German officers are portrayed as being stiff and unyielding.  Garnering little sympathy, but rather gaining distaste for their apparent egotism, the German characters are continuously portrayed as being corrupt and malevolent.  Such stark contrast, as Wilson states, creates a classic protagonist vs. antagonist in which there is a strong political undertone against the power and authority of the Nazi command.  Consequently, the film demonstrates a strong antifascist motif by the way it contrasts the characters and their personal objectives and dispositions.