A comment on my 'Casablanca' rewrite made me rethink everything

I posted an idea here where Ilsa stays with Rick, and someone from Chicago pointed out it completely undercuts the film's core theme of sacrifice for a greater good. I rewrote it so she still leaves, but Rick gives her the letters of transit with a different, more personal note. How do you decide when a 'better' ending for the characters breaks the story's point?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_mia2mo ago

Honestly, that Chicago commenter was spot on. The whole POINT of that movie is the painful choice. Giving them a happy ending wrecks the engine. It's like trying to fix a classic car by taking out the motor because it's loud. A "better" ending for the characters is almost always the WORST ending for the story if it makes the whole thing pointless. You figured it out by keeping the sacrifice but adding your own touch with the note. That's the sweet spot.

smith.anna2mo ago

So what's your take on the "sweet spot," @the_mia?

kim.stella1mo ago

Do you ever feel like fixing a character's pain actually breaks the story's heart? I totally get where you're coming from, because it's tough watching someone you like make the hard choice, even when you know it's the right one for the movie. Sounds like you found a good middle ground though, keeping the sacrifice real while adding your own personal touch with that note.