Casablanca questions

[Daniel Riser]

I have a question...

If it is very clear that Rick Blaine cannot return to his own country would he still be in possession of a passport? Or would they have taken his passport from him?

Also... a plot hole. If Rick Blaine, Major Strasser and Louie were all sitting at the table together when Major Strasser said "cannot return to his own country the reason is a little vague"

Louie heard that...

How then could Blain have told Louie, later on, that his plan is give Viktor to Louie and take Illsa to Lisbon and then to America (he specifically says "America")

Wouldn't Louie have found something fishy since he was aware that Blaine couldn't return to his own country? And it was mentioned that he was from New York... so there is no mistaking what "country" Strasser was referring to.

Please don't stone me. I love Casablanca.

Dan

 

[scotrace]

The plan Rick gives Louie is a story that Rick's betting will be believed. He gambles that Louie will buy that this spectacular woman is motive enough to risk a return to America. At the point he divulges this plan, he has already decided to put Ilsa on the plane with her husband. That Bogart is able to make everyone - The Prefect of Police, Senior Ferarri, and you and I - believe that he's going to take Ilsa back to America and serve Victor to the Nazis on a platter is one of the things that make this film the best of all time.
Louie buys it because he is so skirt-motivated himself; he can completely understand why Rick would risk it all to end up with Ilsa, come what may.
Also, we never learn why Rick "cannot" return to America. May have been debt, legal trouble, or just the likelihood of being plugged by a mobster. Maybe as simple as having gotten a girl "in trouble."

 

[Feraud]

Louie buys it because he is so skirt-motivated himself; he can completely understand why Rick would risk it all to end up with Ilsa, come what may.

That is exactly right! Louie assumed (incorrectly) that he and Rick were 'two of a kind'. Louie did not question the minor inconsistencies of Rick's story because he bought the idea of Rick running off with the girl.

 

[Doctor Strange]

Com'on, don't look for logic in Casablanca. If you know anything about how the film was made, it was a quickie cranked out in the initial, extremely depressing part of the war as a morale-boosting melodrama. It was rewritten constantly during shooting... Nobody involved with it thought it would amount to a hill of beans in this crazy world.

It has been called "the best bad movie ever made", and I think that's right on. I love it to death, but it doesn't make much sense...

 

[Lauren]

Maybe since he was a nightclub owner (including gambling areas) in Casablanca, the authorities took his rights to leave to keep him there (since they conducted their business under his roof). Thinking he would have no reason to leave before Bergman came back he was ok with this. Perhaps the government, learning of his past military experiences, even funded the opening of the club under the contract that he revoke his rights. And if I remember correctly, it was never mentioned that Rick would travel under his own name.

Maybe silly thoughts. Forgive me, I'm still half asleep.

 

[MK]

Very nice, scotrace!

Well said. Also Rick never said he cannot return. Louie said it and he probably told the Major too. This might have been just a rumor that Rick lets ride. In fact, I think it had to be here-say. If you had official information, you would know why. That is not to say there wasn't something to it.

The main thing is it is a great story and one of the best motion pictures ever.

 

[riccardo]

A great movie.

Hi to all,
Casablanca is, for me, one of the better movie never seen.
I know very well its history and its humour, the are are a lot of twice sence (?)
I've just to translate my ideas about it, and then I can replace.
Wait me, I'll return.
Riccardo

 

[Andykev]

"I bet there asleep all over America"

"I came here for the waters"
"Waters, what waters? We're in the desert"
"I was misinformed"


"I've often speculated as to why you left America. Abcsounded with the church funds? Run off with a Senator's wife? I like to think you killed a man, it's the romantic in me'.

"Maybe a little of all three"


America was ISOLATIONIST. Rick is a fighter. He fought in Spain on the side of the Loyalists. He left America for the fight. He is careful in Paris with Ilsa, as there "is a price on his head". "They know where to find me, I left a note in my apartment".

Now he has been burned by the woman he loves, and now "sticks his neck out for no one".

Ilsa coming back, the Nazi's, and the Letters will bring him back into the fight.

It's all speculation. Intentionally so.

 

[Biggles]

While I can't remember the details,there is a Casablanca sequel in book form,which sees Rick & Ilsa dropped into Europe for the SOE...(also details his "Mob" background)

 

[airfrogusmc]

The Germans wore gray
You wore blue

 

[Harp]

Casablanca

A classic film, worthy of continued comment, speculation, and innuendo....

Rick's motives may not have been purely noble at plot's inception.
The famed bar scene reflection (after Laslo's arrest warrant issue)where
the camera pans in for a closeup: cigarette-to-lips pause reflection,
clearly has Rick mulling his options; including the possibility of spiriting
Illsa to America. Fate has played a card in the transit papers game,
and the audience is shown a glimpse of Blaine's conflicted heart.

As for his expat reasons, Blaine obviously hails a troubled background.
What biography that is revealed in the film is more open-ended than
definitive, yet the audience can assume love conquers all---
And the ending, of course, is predictable. At least Rick and Illsa had
Paris....fftopic: Ronald Reagan was considered for the lead role.

 

[Indy Magnoli]

Come on, Dan... you know perfectly well that Rick had a passport:

Rick's Passport

Don't go hurtin' my business with speculation...

Kind regards,
Magnoli

 

[The Wolf]

The sequel book is called As Time Goes By written by Michael Walsh. I own it but haven't gotten the nerve to read it yet.

Sincerely.
THE
_____WOLF

 

[Wyoming Jade]

But what you don't know is the other Casablanca story

There were 3 German couriers, not two. Two were murdered in the desert by Ugarti & his men but one got away - he wasn't actually a german, although he was in uniform and this wasn't the first time he'd worn a german uniform as a disguise. This guy he's real smart see, educated in the states. He was there at the Blue Parrot just after Laslow & Ilsa. Oh, Strasser & the Nazis may have been in Casablanca after Laslow but it was this guy who kept them busy. You might say he was a person of interest for the Nazis. Don't ask me how but he managed to find a way to trick Louie to sign an exit visa which put him on the plane leaving Casablanca with Laslow & Ilsa. Yes, in Casablanca everyone comes to Rick's even Indiana Jones.

 

[Indy Magnoli]

I've heard this bedtime story before...

Kind regards,
Magnoli

 

[Shade]

Incidentally, I just watched Casablanca a few days ago.

Good movie.

 

[nick1909]

The sequel book is called As Time Goes By written by Michael Walsh. I own it but haven't gotten the nerve to read it yet.

Sincerely.
THE
_____WOLF

It's not a bad book, actually. It never put me off of what I think was the real story (and I am sure we all have our own versions.) But it's a pleasant read for any Casablanca fan.