Play It Again, Uncle Sam : Patriotism, moral och amerikanska värderingar på vita duken i krigstidens USA 1941–1945

This essay explored Hollywood and American soft power during world war II. The purpose was to illuminate central themes in two movies, Casablanca and To have and have not and understand how American ideals and values are reflected on the big screen, in relation towar time. The analysis was made with a qualitative thematic method that encapsulates thecentral concepts regarding American values, through Hollywood movies, as a reflection andtool of American soft power. The theory that was used alongside Joseph Nye's theory about Soft power, is Stuart Hall's theory regarding visual representation. This allowed an analysison how the movies portrayed a visual culture that communicates soft power through the movies. The results are primarily formulated from previous research, with the importance of patriotism, self-sacrifice and morals in the movies and how they can be received as a highly attractive endeavor. This is through sentiments such as love, respect and honor. The objective was simply to highlight these different notions and what it could, theoretically determine in wartime. In relation to the previous research, it broadened the field by exploring less inregard to propagandism and delves more into the use of soft power and as such, how it can attract and influence the audience's attitudes in that manner.