I have chosen the 1943 film Casablanca directed by Michael Curtiz and adapted from a theatre production called "Everyone comes to Rick´s".

there disbelief and to enter into the diagetic construction of the film. So in effect this is used as very simple and effective way to set up the space and time of the film. The importance of the word “wait” is highlighted by the fact that the narrator repeats it four times, thus giving it greater emphasis and focusing the spectators attention on the plight of the refugees who are stranded in Casablanca. During the narration we see shots of maps, giving us a sense of geographical location. It also helps to draw the spectators in by drawing a line as a route marker towards Casablanca; this allows the spectator a sense of actually travelling towards this destination. Once the line has arrived on the word Casablanca on the map, we are transported to the destination by a cut to a shot of a Moroccan bazaar. We are then reintroduced to the historical context and also the first device which begins the narrative. We hear an announcement of the murder of two Nazi officials and subsequent theft of the letters of transit that they are carrying. The announcement is made by a French policeman, telling other officers to look out for suspicious characters, this helps to highlight that fact that France is now occupied by the Nazi´s and that the Vichy government in place is collaborating with the Nazi's. This is used to both move the story along and also to give the audience an enemy to unite against. However, this does cause a problem within the construct of a typical Hollywood, we are left searching for a someone or something to fight against this enemy, this problem is quickly addressed. We see two policemen questioning a man whose papers are out of date, he runs is chased and then shot. The important shot of this scene is the final close up of what the man is holding, a free French leaflet calling for resistance, it is a plea to not only the characters contained within the film but from essaybank.co.uk also the spectators to unite against the Nazi´s and there French collaborators.   All of this happens before we are introduced to any of the main characters or indeed informed as to the plot of the film. This in itself is part of the mystique of the film; the central character of Rick (played by Humphrey Bogart) is talked about and referred to but not seen in the opening. Maltby clarifies this when he states “Rick´s appearance is delayed until contextual material has established the milieu, discussed the plight of refugees from occupied France, and set up the letters of transit as the trigger to the causal chain of events which motivates the majority of the action.” Not only are the main characters kept from us, but also the specific location that most of the eventual action will take place, that of Rick´s Café Americain. However, much like Rick himself, this locale is discussed. We also see a visual reference to it as a crowd stares at a plane, the plane is then seen coincidentally flying over the Rick´s café Americain sign. This draws the audience´s attention to the café, and soon after the café is discussed by Captain Louis Renault (played by Claude Rains) and the Nazi Major Strasser (played by Conrad Veidt). The importance of the café is highlighted when Renault says, “Everybody comes to Rick´s” to which Strasser replies “I have already heard about this café and also about Mr. Rick himself.” The fame and importance of the café and its owner has apparently spread to nazi high command, and this adds to the sense of intrigue in the spectators and the need to find out more bout both the café and Rick himself.   In conclusion, the majority of the opening of Casablanca is concerned with the setting of the scene for the rest of the film. The spectators are given information as to the space, time and historical context of the film, whilst at the same time the mystique of the film is highlighted by the vague descriptions of Rick and his café. Information is revealed slowly to the spectators, a classical Hollywood device used to keep the audience interested in the plot that unfolds in front of them. However, this would not be possible if the spectators did not immerse themselves to a certain extent into the diagetic construction of the film. The early narration helps to do this by making clear a situation which may be alien to many of the spectators, and allowing them to empathize with the plight of the refugees who are left to wait in Casablanca. The other important function that the opening fulfills is that of setting up a conflict, and at the same time giving the audience a cause to side for, in this case the fight against the Nazi´s. This was also important at the time because the film was overtly used as propaganda tool to ease the fears of many Americans about their possible involvement in the Second World War.