Week 4: “Here’s Looking at You, Performance”: A Goffmanian Look at Casablanca

Michael Curtiz’s 1942 film Casablanca is widely praised for its gripping romance, political intrigue, and unforgettable lines. But beyond its classic surface, the film is also a rich text for sociological analysis—especially when viewed through the lens of Erving Goffman’s dramaturgical theory from The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life. Goffman compares social interaction to theatrical performance, with individuals constantly managing impressions before an audience. In Casablanca, these performances take place not on a literal stage, but in the shadowy world of wartime Morocco.

1. Front Stage and Back Stage: Rick’s Café as a Social Theater

Rick’s Café Américain, the central setting of the film, serves as a literal “front stage” where characters perform carefully constructed roles. Rick Blaine (played by Humphrey Bogart) presents himself as aloof, cynical, and apolitical. He repeatedly claims, “I stick my neck out for nobody.” This is his front stage persona—designed to protect him in a politically volatile environment. However, the “back stage” moments—when Rick is alone or with his close friend Sam—reveal a different version of himself: vulnerable, emotional, even idealistic. Goffman’s concept of the backstage explains how individuals drop their guard and reveal their true feelings when not performing for others. For Rick, the return of Ilsa shatters his front-stage mask, revealing the heartbreak he’s tried to conceal.

2. Impression Management: Ilsa’s Strategic Presentation

Ilsa Lund (Ingrid Bergman) is a master of impression management. Throughout the film, she must navigate a delicate balance between loyalty to her husband, Victor Laszlo, and her lingering love for Rick. In front of her husband and in public, she maintains composure and moral integrity. But in private moments with Rick, her suppressed emotions surface. Her careful control of expressions, tone, and body language reflects Goffman’s notion that individuals work to influence how others perceive them. Ilsa’s actions are not deceitful, but strategic—necessary for survival in a world where personal and political stakes are deeply entangled.

3. Roles and Teams: Resistance as a Cooperative Performance

Goffman discusses the idea of “teams”—groups of individuals who collaborate to maintain a shared definition of the situation. Victor Laszlo and the members of the Resistance form such a team. They must coordinate their speech and behavior to conceal their true objectives from Nazi officials while inspiring hope in others. Even Rick eventually joins this “team” by helping Ilsa and Laszlo escape. His transformation from isolated cynic to courageous helper reflects a shift in roles. He re-aligns his performance to support a new narrative: resistance, sacrifice, and moral clarity.

4. Dramatic Realization and the Final Scene

Goffman also speaks of “dramatic realization”—the process of expressing key facts through performance. Rick’s final act of letting Ilsa go and helping Laszlo escape is the climax of his dramatic arc. In doing so, he conveys not only his love, but also his values—suggesting that some causes are worth the ultimate sacrifice. This moment is a culmination of conflicting performances resolving into one final, meaningful gesture.

Conclusion:

Casablanca is more than a romantic wartime classic—it’s a masterclass in social performance. Through Goffman’s lens, we see how each character navigates front and back stages, manages impressions, and takes part in collective performances under intense pressure. The film’s enduring power lies not just in its story, but in its authentic depiction of how people perform their identities in a world that demands constant adaptation.

As Goffman might say: all the world is a café, and all the men and women merely actors. And in Casablanca, every glance, every line, and every sacrifice plays its part in a performance none of us can forget.