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The One That Got Away

Gatsby & Bogart’s Inescapable Love by Morgan Winlaw (n8794758)

Casablanca is a romantic-drama, Hollywood blockbuster, released in 1942, starring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman (British Board of Film Classification 2015). Based on the play by Murray Burnett and Joan Allison, Everybody Come to Rick’s (Harmetz 1997), the film was directed by Michael Curtiz and distributed by Warner Bros. with a budget of $878,000 (Schatz 1999, 218). Despite Casablanca boasting Hollywood A-list stars Bogart and Bergman, the film was released with little box office expectations (Ebert 1996). However Casablanca achieved immense success, grossing $4.1 million at the U.S. box office in its initial release. The film won three Academy Awards for Best Picture, Director and Writing (screenplay) (Schatz 1999, 218). To this day, the film has reached an icon status, celebrating its 70^th anniversary in 2012 (Dellamorte 2012). Baz Luhrmann’s The Great Gatsby is a 2013 drama adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s infamous novel of the same name. The film was co-written and directed by Luhrmann and produced with a budget of $105 million (Box Office Mojo 2015). Gatsby stars Leonardo DiCaprio in the title role, alongside Tobey Maguire and Carey Mulligan. Luhrmann went on record stating he wanted his Gatsby to feel “enormous” (Osenlund 2013) which was evidently reflected in Warner Bros. clever marketing of the film. Deals were struck with the oldest American men’s clothier Brooks Brothers, who produced a ‘Gatsby collection’ line of men’s clothes in conjunction with the film (Evans 2013); and famous jeweler Tiffany & Co. premiering ‘The Great Gatsby Collection’ a line of jewellery inspired by the film (Folan 2013).

This analysis will illustrate how a theme of ‘an inescapable love’ is represented through non-linear constructed narratives in the 1942 film Casablanca and the 2013 film The Great Gatsby.

The narrative structure of Casablanca steers away from the normal classical Hollywood structure. Typically linear, the events of Casablanca are not delivered in chronological order, with the use of flashbacks consistent throughout the film (Elouardaoui 2012). Even the lead character of Rick (Bogart) breaks previously set classic protagonist molds. Rick is introduced to the audience as a distant and cold man (Morrow 1982); stating “I stick my neck out for nobody.” As the film progresses, Rick’s cold persona is revealed to be a by-product of his past; a failed affair with the love of his life in Paris has left him bitter and taciturn (Variety Staff 1942). Bogart’s Rick also embodies the character-centred causality role, with Rick driving the film’s story forward through his decisions and multiple characters growths through the film (Cowgill 2003). Casablanca is constantly challenging the canonical traditions set by previous Hollywood films (Elouardaoui 2012), though this analysis argues that the conventional three act structure, typically seen in linear narratives; of the initial undisturbed structure or equilibrium, through to the disruption of this structure, to a new equilibrium still exists in the film. This is in relation to Rick and Ilsa’s relationship and the underlying theme of ‘an inescapable love.’ The initial equilibrium begins in Rick’s Cafe at the start of the movie, where initial glimpses into Rick’s personality are delivered through aforementioned lines like “I stick my neck out for nobody.” The disruption or conflict to this equilibrium occurs when Ilsa and her husband Victor arrive at Rick’s Cafe, seeking Rick’s assistance. This event allows the audience to realise it was Ilsa’s abandonment of Rick in Paris that led a heartbroken Rick to the selfish lifestyle he now leads. Ilsa’s re-emergence and eventual explanation of her disappearance allows Rick to finally let his anger towards Ilsa go (Ebert 1996), and aid her in allowing her husband Victor Laszlo to escape Casablanca. Reunited, Rick and Ilsa reminisce on their inescapable love, with Ilsa believing she will stay with him when her husband leaves (Umberto 1985, 37).

Rick and Ilsa reminisce on their time in Paris [Image source: topyaps.com]

However, in their last moments together, Rick forces Ilsa to board the plane with her husband, as highlighted in the scene below; “We’ll Always Have Paris.” Rick explains to Ilsa that if she stays with him she would end up regretting it – “maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but soon and for the rest of your life” (Doyle 2008). Rick’s actions establish a new equilibrium where Rick can finally move on from his visions of the past and begin a new chapter of his life (Morrow 1982).

(Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pa-dGYjSq5k)

Similarly, Luhrmann’s The Great Gatsby steers away from typical Hollywood conventions of classical narrative structures, focusing on a non-linear deliverance of Fitzgerald’s classic novel, presented in a highly stylised brashness. Luhrmann’s directorial style is almost his trademark, sweeping camera angles, rushed changes of perspective, flashback surges and extravagant set designs are all characteristics of his previous films, notably Romeo + Juliet and Moulin Rouge!, attributing greatly to the Hollywood philosophy of delivering escapist entertainment (Denby 2013). However, the visual spectacle soon takes a backseat to a heavy narrative, with key plots closely following the novel (Caldwell, 2013). The narrative structure in Gatsby only meets typical Hollywood expectations in that it follows the three act structure of Casablanca, with an initial equilibrium, disruption or conflict to this, followed by a new equilibrium (Elouardaoui 2012). The initial equilibrium is centred on the goal-oriented character of Jay Gatsby (DicCaprio), and his quest to win over the love of his life Daisy Buchanan (Mulligan) of who he shared a relationship with five years prior to the events of the film. This equilibrium is represented in the scene below, where Gatsby proclaims, “You can’t repeat the past? Why of course you can!”

(Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eVpQ5mtFVB4)

The conflict occurs when Daisy and Gatsby are reunited and begin a love affair, all while Daisy is married to Tom Buchanan. Similar to Casablanca, the lovers revel in their memories of the past for a while, but their reminiscing is short-lived, after Tom discovers Gatsby’s love for Daisy. Daisy tells Gatsby that she cannot claim she never loved Tom.

Gatsby and Daisy are reunited [Image source: pinterest.com]

The conflict reaches it’s highest point, when Gatsby’s car strikes and kills Myrtle (Isla Fisher), Tom’s lover. Gatsby reveals that it was Daisy driving his car. This is where the new equilibrium for the film should be established; however, this analysis argues that after the disruption and conflict in Gatsby, a new equilibrium is never formed, with Gatsby returning to his initial equilibrium of hope of winning Daisy, despite the fact she lets him take the blame for Myrtle’s death. The character of Gatsby is so goal-oriented and infatuated with the idea of rekindling his past love with Daisy that it is the eventual cause of his death (Caldwell 2013). Here the narrative again strays from typical Hollywood conventions, where the goal-oriented character usually achieves their goal and lives a happy ending (Elouardaoui 2012).

Both Casablanca and The Great Gatsby defy typical Hollywood narrative structures to present non-linear stories of love from the past being inescapable. Three act structures are followed in both films to varying degrees. While in Luhrmann’s film Gatsby is sure that he can reclaim the past, in Casablanca, Rick realizes that the past is idealized and not realistic to live in.

Reference List

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Cowgill, Linda. 2003. “Non-Linear Narratives: The Ultimate in Time Travel.” Accessed April 21, 2015. http://www.plotsinc.com/sitenew/column_art_02.html

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Ebert, Robert. 1996. “Casablanca.” RobertEbert.com, September 15. Accessed April 21, 2015. http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/great-movie-casablanca-1942

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Folan, Kerry. 2013. “Behold Tiffany & Co.’s Opulent Gatsby-Themed Jewelry Collection.” Racked, April 17. Accessed April 21, 2015. http://www.racked.com/2013/4/17/7676577/first-look-tiffany-cos-opulent-jewelry-for-gatsby

Harmetz, Aljean. 1997. “Murray Burnett, 86, Writer of Play Behind ‘Casablanca.’” New York Times, September 29. Accessed April 21, 2015. http://www.nytimes.com/1997/09/29/arts/murray-burnett-86-writer-of-play-behind-casablanca.html

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Osenlund, R. Kurt. 2013. “Arms Outstretched Too Far: Baz Luhrmann’s The Great Gatsby.” Slate Magazine, May 9. Accessed April 20, 2015. http://www.slantmagazine.com/house/article/arms-outstretched-too-far-baz-luhrmanns-the-great-gatsby

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Umberto, Eco. 1985. “Casablanca or the Clichés are Having a Ball.” In On Signs, edited by Marshall Blonsky, 35-38. JHU Press.

Variety Staff. 1942. “Review: ‘Casablanca.’” Variety, December 1. Accessed April 20, 2015. http://variety.com/1942/film/reviews/casablanca-2-1200413952/