Film Quote of the Day: The 'Casablanca' Line Created a Revolutionary

What movie has the greatest dialogue ever? Well, for me, it's Casablanca. And there's not a close second place. It feelsl ike sp my lines from this movie ripple off the screen and stick to your bones.

Now, I was not alive in 1942 when Casablanca hit theaters, but I can picture audiences sitting in the dark while World War II raged, hearing words that perfectly captured the exhausting, morally gray reality of a world on fire.

They had to feel ignited by this movie and its message.

Now, there are dozens of legendary, oft-quoted lines from this film..."Here's looking at you, kid," "Louis, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship," and "Play it again, Sam."

But today, I want to talk about a line that changes a character and makes us love him.

Let's dive in.

- YouTubewww.youtube.com

The Scene In Question

Casablanca is a miracle of a movie. It was produced on a standard studio assembly line, with a script that was constantly being rewritten on the fly while cameras were rolling.

They had writers turning in pages in real time, and there was a lot of pressure on everyone to make a movie that not only encouraged United States action in Europe during WWII but also justified why that action was necessary.

The iconic line we're talking about arrives at the absolute climax of the film, when we're still asking who the friend and who the foe is in this story.

You know the iconic ending: we are at a foggy, rain-slicked airstrip and Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart) has just forced the love of his life, Ilsa (Ingrid Bergman), onto a plane with her heroic resistance-leader husband, Victor Laszlo.

Their escape to America means his safety and, hopefully, an even playing field against the Nazis in Europe.

But to make sure they got away, Rick has shot the Nazi Major Strasser. His body lies on the tarmac, and Rick's sure he's about to be arrested for their murder.

Across from him is Captain Louis Renault (Claude Rains). Renault is a self-proclaimed corrupt official who has spent the entire movie blowing with whatever political wind keeps his pockets lined and his lifestyle comfortable.

He saw Rick pull the trigger and therefore holds Rick’s life, and the entire narrative, in his hands.

In this moment, the audience holds its breath. They are joined by the police, who encircle Renault, awaiting his orders.

That's when Renault looks at Rick, looks at his men, and delivers the line:

"Major Strasser has been shot. Round up the usual suspects."

- YouTubewww.youtube.com

The Birth of Political Realism

Man, just typing all that out has given me chills. It's one of the things I love about the movie; you're on the edge of your seat until the very last frame, hoping for changes of heart and dealing with the plot twists.

This line is incredible because it single-handedly shifts the entire moral axis of the film into something everyone can cheer for, and that is inspiring when you walk out,

Up until this moment, Captain Renault represents an opportunistic bureaucrat who treats fascism like a minor inconvenience in his day-to-day.

He's apolitical, going where the power goes and only making choices that serve himself.

Earlier in the film, he also says, "Round up the usual suspects," but this is a line delivered because he's lazy and doesn't want to sort out a murder investigation. He wants to impress the Nazis.

Now, we get the callback to the line, but the intention has been flipped on its head.

When Renault repeats the line after witnessing Rick kill Strasser, it becomes a revolutionary act. He uses his own systemic corruption as a weapon against the fascists and to protect the revolutionary in Rick.

For the audience, it is a sigh of relief and a reminder that even in a morally grey part of the world, Nazis are still bad and we should always kill them.

Summing It All Up

This movie has endured because it charges us to choose ot do the right thing, even in the face of danger, even if you have a bad past. It reminds us that there are times when ultimate good and evil are at play, and we should choose good.

If you're ever feeling down, I suggest revisiting this movie and basking in its glory.

Let me know your favorite lines from Casablanca in the comments below.