Rick and Ilsa in Paris

• mood at the beginning of the scene:

  • joyful, romantic, achieved through triumphant music
  • wind blowing through their hair- element of freedom
  • no shadows - happiness.
  • they are in focus- focus on their joy in the moment
• Paris' construction:

  • a 'city of love'
  • signifiers of location - Arc de Triomphe, boat cruise outside the Eiffel Tower
• what does Paris represent in the film?

  • idealized past - time of freedom pre-war
  • shared memory ("We'll always have Paris" - end)
  • loss - loss of innocence & their relationship is disrupted
  • contrast to Casablanca - a vibrant city compared to a political setting in Casablanca