Political Philosophy Comes to Rick's Casablanca and American Civic Culture

by Pontuso, James F.; Bagchi, Nivedita; Cantor, Paul A.; Craig, Leon Harold; Luca, Kenneth De; Hattox, Ralph; Lawler, Peter Augustine; Nichols, David K.; Nichols, Mary P.; Palmer, Michael; Peterson, Paul; Pontuso, James F.

• ISBN13: 9780739111130
• ISBN10: 0739111132
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2005-07-25
• Publisher: Lexington Books

Summary

Political Philosophy Comes to Rick's focuses on reading one of the world's most watched films, Casablanca, politically. Contributors contend that the popularity of the film lies in its ability to present American civic culture, the American character, if you will, in a thoughtful, dramatic, and enduring way.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	vii
Introduction	1	(152)
James F. Pontuso
1. "As Time Goes By": Casablanca and the Evolution of a Pop-Culture Classic	9	(16)
Paul A. Cantor
2. The Historical Context of Casablanca	25	(10)
Ralph S. Hattox
3. Historicism, Relativism, and Nihilism versus American Natural Right in Casablanca	35	(12)
Michael Palmer
4. Seductive Beauty and Noble Deeds: Politics in The English Patient and Casablanca	47	(20)
Mary P. Nichols
5. An American Fantasy? Love, Nobility, and Friendship in Casablanca	67	(12)
Peter Augustine Lawler
6. Casablanca and the Paradoxical Truth of Stereotyping: Rick and the American Character	79	(24)
James F. Pontuso
7. Ilsa's Choice: Love and Tragedy in Casablanca	103	(8)
Nivedita N. Bagchi
8. Bogart's Heroes: The Changing Face of Heroism in American Film	111	(24)
David K. Nichols
9. Michael Curtiz: The Mystery-Man Director of Casablanca	135	(18)
Paul Peterson
10. On the Argument of Casablanca and The Meaning of the Third Rick	153	(24)
Kenneth De Luca
11. A Movie Skeptic's Thoughts on Casablanca	177	(12)
Leon Harold Craig
Cast and Credits of Casablanca	189	(2)
Index	191	(8)
About the Contributors	199