Opening Image

In the wake of the Nazi invasion, thousands of refugees attempt to flee for America through Lisbon in hopes of starting a new life. However, obtaining visas has proved to be a problem for them as they remain stranded in Casablanca, waiting for what may as well be an eternity.

Set Up

Signor Ugarte kills German soldiers to obtain the transit papers they were carrying, which allows the holder to travel freely. As the Nazis attempt to get the papers back, we see them gun down a member of the French resistance, all of which is witnessed by a young couple.

Due to the desperate state of the people in Casablanca, everyone is seemingly out for their own gain, we see a thief warn a foreign couple that no one is to be trusted here, before stealing their wallet.

Major Heinrich Strasser arrives in Casablanca where he comments of the extreme weather being of no concern to him as he claims Germans need to be able to adapt all kinds of weather, referring to the Nazis goal of global dominance.

At Rick’s Café, we see dozens of refugees trying to find some way to secure visas for themselves, while at the same time there are local law enforcement officers and Nazis there as well. However,despite being surrounded by the good and bad sides of the war, the owner, Rick Blaine remains indifferent to it all, as we see him playing chess, a two person game by himself, telling us about his reclusive nature.

Theme

At the café,we hear the house singer, Sam sing “It Had to Be You”, a song about being head over heels in love with someone even though you know it’s not meant to be, and despite being star crossed and knowing that there are other women, no one else will do. This song refers to the relationship between Rick and Ilsa and how despite their love for one another, circumstances always prevent them from being together.

Catalyst

Ugarte approaches Rick and tells him that even though he knows he dislikes him for the line of work he’s in, he needs his help. Rick says that he doesn’t care that visas are being sold to refugees but it’s the high price that Ugarte charges for them that he disapproves of, hinting at a softer side to him.

Ugarte reveals that he has the transit papers and wants Rick to temporarily hold them for them for him. He says since Rick is the only one who disapproves of what he does it means that he’s the only one that can be trusted in a land of vultures.

Debate

Rick accepts and admits that he is a little impressed with Ugarte as he had to kill the Nazis to get the papers and further into the movie we learn that Rick always favors the underdogs.

Break into Two

As Rick hides the papers in the piano, Sam sings “Knock on Wood”, a song about being unhappy and unlucky. A warning of what is to come for Rick now that he has made his choice.

Rick meets Signor Ferrari, the owner of The Blue Parrot who tells him to join forces with him in human trafficking. Rick refuses and Ferrari warns him that isolationism is no longer an option in today’s world and by choosing to move to the next act, Rick will soon find out why.

B Story

At the bar, Rick runs into Yvonne, a woman who’s obsessed with him but he remains cold and distant with her. Outside the café he meets Louis Renault, who wonders what happened in Rick’s past that prevents him from returning to America. This aspect of the story focuses on Rick’s past and the one incident that led him to becoming the loner he is today.

Fun and Games

Rick and Renault talk about Victor Laszlo, a well known Czech Resistance leader and how he will soon be arriving at the café. The two place a bet on whether Laszlo will succeed in the end or not, with Rick betting on the former, as he has a habit of favoring the weaker party. Furthermore, Laszlo will be accompanied by a woman who’s been by his side for a long time now.

Additionally, Renault is, in a lot of ways the opposite of Rick, throughout the movie we see him as a person who is highly adaptable and sides with whichever party benefits him (more on this later), while Rick chooses to be left out of everyone else’s struggles. When Major Strasser arrives, he invites Rick to the table and tries to see where he stands on the ongoing war but of course, Rick remains vague with his answers. Furthermore, while everyone at the table sees Laszlo as either good or bad, Renault is the only one to point out just how clever he is to be able to get as far as he has.

Eventually, Laszlo arrives with his wife Ilsa Lund and Sam instantly recognizes her and tells her to leave Rick alone as she’s “bad luck to him” (tying back to the song in Break into Two). She has him sing the song ‘As Time Goes By’ which is about two lovers going through an ordeal to protect their love, but whether they’re successful or not, time still goes by, hinting at what is to happen in the end.

While Laszlo meets with a resistance member, we learn that Rick and Ilsa last met in Paris the day the Nazis invaded. Rick even joins them for a drink and offers to pay the bill which is very unlike him, telling us that Ilsa may be the one to enable Rick to overcome his character flaw from B Story.

Midpoint

Back in Paris, Rick and Ilsa agreed to meet at the train station and run away together, but Ilsa never showed up. As Rick leaves the station he also leaves behind a part of himself, he’s no longer the man who could see himself getting married and having a future, instead he’s left behind as the world moves on without him. (B story)

In present day, Ilsa arrives after the bar has been closed to try and explain things to Rick but he refuses to listen. (main theme)

Bad Guys Close In

We once again see the same couple from earlier getting refused. Meanwhile Renault remarks that no one’s supposed to sleep well in Casablanca as everyone is weighed down in hopelessness. Major Strasser offers Laszlo a way out provided he gives them the names of the other freedom fighters, which he refuses and states that killing him would only create other fighters to take his place. However, despite that, Strasser states that with him gone the resistance would suffer a major blow, one they will need time to recover from.

The same couple is once again seen leaving The Blue Parrot in disappointment. Outside the establishment, Rick approaches Ilsa and the vendor she was dealing with offers her a huge discount on account of knowing Rick, telling us that he is the only one who can be trusted by default as he doesn’t care about what’s happening around him as everyone else is out for their own gain. Ilsa says that the man she once knew would’ve listened to her and tried to understand her but the man Rick has become today would never listen to reason.

Later, we see Ferrari offer Laszlo and Ilsa one visa, saying one of them would have to stay behind. Laszlo says Ilsa should take it and says if it were the other way around he would leave her behind, telling us just how much he values his role in this fight and suggesting that he can overcome any subjective hindrances. Ilsa replies that he had many opportunities in the past to leave her in the past but didn’t because of how much he loves her. This sets up the choice Rick will have to make in the end, to be objective or subjective.

Meanwhile, Rick starts drinking more and more and we see Vyonne arrive at the café accompanied by a German soldier and soon a fight breaks out. Strasser takes notice of how things are becoming more and more hostile between the two parties and soon they’ll reach a breaking point. Renault comments that he serves no side in particular and changes depending on what suits him while Renault stresses on quickly dealing with Laszlo as resistance is present everywhere and all they’re waiting for is someone to lead them.

The wife we keep seeing throughout the movie approaches Rick, she wants to know if Renault can be trusted, he has promised her and her husband the visas provided that she sleeps with him. She asks Rick if it’s something she should go through with considering the greater good at stake. In response, Rick helps her husband win at roulette, enabling them to be able to pay for the visas instead. By doing so Rick has broken character by sticking his neck out for someone, telling us that there may still be hope for him and that Ilsa mere presence has caused a drastic change in him.

Having said that, Rick still refuses to give Laszlo the transit papers as he’s still bitter about what happened. Later while the Germans have the band play one of their anthems, the French retaliate by having the band play theirs next and proceed to drown out the voice of the Germans by displaying strength in numbers.

All is Lost

Strasser is enraged by what’s happened and orders that the cafe be shut down. Back in their room, Laszlo asks Ilsa if anything happened with Rick that he needs to know about and she says no, choosing to lie to protect her relationship (tying back to the dilemma the couple from earlier faced)

Dark Night of the Soul

Ilsa visits Rick and asks him to give her the transit papers, urging him to put his feelings aside for something bigger than the both of them but he refuses, stating “I’m the only cause I’m interested in” and that if she really was able to look beyond herself she would be able to kill him for the greater good.

Break into Three

Ilsa and Rick succumb to their feelings for each other and now have no more secrets between them.

Finale

Rick asks Laszlo if the fight is worth it, Laszlo says he’s willing to fight everyday if that’s what it takes while Rick says he’d rather be dead because at least then he wouldn’t feel any pain. Laszlo replies that Rick is trying to convince himself of something he doesn’t fully believe in and that everybody has a choice to either side with good or evil and remaining neutral won’t last forever.

Rick plans on framing Laszlo and getting him arrested, however he holds Renault at gunpoint and demands that he let them go, to which Renault remarks that his heart is his least vulnerable spot as he along with everyone else in Casablanca is self absorbed. Rick tells Laszlo that Ilsa was with her last night so that she won’t be burdened by any secrets anymore.

And so, Rick is now a part of the resistance movement, for far too long he turned a blind eye to the suffering all around him in his cafe and by choosing to leave it all behind him, he regains the part of himself he lost all those years ago.

On the other hand, Renault chooses to let Rick go, as now that the resistance has won back Laszlo, the Nazis are destined to lose and so remaining true to character, he switches sides.

Closing Image

With Laszlo and Isla on their way to Lisbon, the wait for them along with thousands of other refugees has finally come to an end and soon the war will too. Rick finally sees that while the refugees spent their days waiting, so did he, as he prepares to leave Casablanca behind by walking away into the night.