Original artwork, not a still
This is the end of the chase.
— Casablanca • 1942
Behind the line
What it means
Our interpretation.
Renault says it like a policeman reading a verdict, and the film spends its remaining running time proving him wrong. The bet is a small character sketch: Rick, the man who sticks his neck out for nobody, puts money on the hero's side without admitting why. The line works as a confident prediction that the story then breaks, since the chase never ends where the authorities say it will.
Context reviewed
In context
Spoilers for CasablancaShow the scene
At Rick's bar, Captain Renault gives Rick a word of advice. A man has arrived in Casablanca on his way to America who will pay a fortune for an exit visa: Victor Laszlo. Rick is startled, then recovers. Renault insists Laszlo must stay in Casablanca. Rick points out that Laszlo escaped from a concentration camp and the Nazis have been chasing him across Europe, and Renault answers with this line. Rick bets him twenty thousand francs that it is not so, and Renault, a poor corrupt official, haggles it down to ten thousand.
Sources (2)
- Casablanca shooting script (ScriptSlug PDF)Rick's bar: Renault's word of advice, then the Gestapo exchangeReference checked
- Wikiquote: Casablanca (film)Renault dialogue with Rick; Ilsa Lund sectionReference checked
Context reviewed
