26th Annual Student Research Conference
Capitalism and Casablanca: An Ideological Analysis of Social Class Structure within the Film
Erin M. Sullentrup
Dr. Mark Smith, Faculty Mentor
The film Casablanca is more than a notable example of classic American entertainment. From an ideological perspective, this paper argues that the 1942 text conveys the challenge of overcoming social class structure during a world war and the portrayals of wealth and its connections to power to provide commentary of the perceived capitalist economic system. This study utilizes a Marxist ideological analysis through James Kendricks model to critique the economic ideology based upon capitalism communicated throughout the film. The rejection of the class structure inherent to capitalism comments upon the importance of wealth and power. This critical study analyzes the film to evaluate how it depicts the economic structure of the time period in which the text is set, especially in how it reflects the conflict between Germany, France, and the United States.
Keywords: Casablanca, Marxist Ideological Perspective, Social Class Structure
Topic(s):Communication
Presentation Type: Oral Paper
Session: 407-1
Location: MG 1000
Time: 2:30