Scene Analysis- Casablanca (1942)

 

 

This is the scene when Llsa came to talk with Rick and tried to explain the reason why she left. When Llsa walks into the room, there is light following her. Then when she sit down in opposite of Rick, the lighting creates big contrast of their images and emotions. Ilsa is shot with soft front light, soft fill light and top light and backlight as well. Her image looks extreme soft and bright. The use of backlight also helps reinforce her purity and honesty. On the contrary, Rick is shot in the dark with hard side light and no fill light, which showing his right side of face in the shadow. The darkness depicts his suspicion and anger to Llsa. As the conversation developed, the emotion of two characters also started to changed. The contrast of light slowly dissipates, which shows  the changing of their emotion. When Rick started to accuse Llsa, we saw the key light shifting which build a shadow on Llsa’ s face. This changing of lighting reminds spectator to question Llsa from Rick’s position. Then, it comes with a close up shot of Rick, and positions him in the center of the shot with soft side lit which makes him looks a bit sad and isolated.  When Llsa begins to cry, we can see the tears in her eyes. And the she is extreme soft lit with makes her looks so glamours, pure and innocent.  The lighting seems to be covered with gauze. The scene ends up with Rick drinks alone with his headed down , and sit in the darkness. There is a backlighting which shows contrast of his back and his shadowed face, which depicts his self-pity. It not only conveys the hidden emotions of the characters, but also encourages the audience to feel certain emotions. Lighting can not only create sadness, shock and emotions, but also allow viewers to feel the tension of two unresolved lovers, as well as the hidden connections they share.