Summary
Casablanca in unoccupied French territory in the Second World War is the gateway to freedom from Nazi-controlled Europe. Migrants, refugees, and rebels have congregated here to seek the elusive exit visas to leave for America. It is a lawless border town where life is cheap and bartered for on the black-market. For someone like Richard Blaine, owner of a popular nightspot with a prior record of supporting the rebellion, staying neutral in Casablanca is not just good business, it is the only way to survive. But he does not seem to covet the exit visas which are traded in his cafe that would be his ticket home to America, preferring to remain anonymous amidst the chaos where life will not make any demands of him aside from the cold, hard business of survival. Rick's impartiality is upset with the arrival of Ilsa Lund and her husband Victor Laslo. Ilsa's brief romance with Rick in Paris and her disappearance upon their departure was the cause for Rick choosing a bitter and lonely life in Casablanca. Now she had reappeared, with a war hero husband in tow, trying to secure safe passage to America. Rick assumes the worst about Ilsa, destroys any remnants of feelings between them, and condemns the pair to die. Ilsa admits her continuing love for Rick and offers to abandon cause and husband for him. Rick, reanimated, sends Ilsa away with Victor to America, sacrificing his chance at love for the greater good.
Escape
Will Victor Laslo escape Casablanca? As a leader of the resistance movement, his getaway would be a victory against the Nazis.
Patriot
Rick abandoned the cause when Ilsa left him with a broken heart. Will he find his humanity again and rejoin the good fight?
Love
Will Rick and Ilsa rekindle their romance? Love found them in middle-age, amidst turmoil of war, and was measured in days, but its power had endured. Its end led Ilsa back to her duties; its souring led to Rick to bitterness.
German couriers are murdered (5 min)
Anyone wishing to escape imprisoned Europe through Casablanca requires an exit visa. Couriers delivering visas are murdered while in transit and police round up the usual suspects. One tries to run and is shot dead; he turns out to be an anti-Nazi rebel. A pickpocket explains the commotion to tourists, and then robs them. Nazi officer Strasser arrives to monitor the investigation. French police prefect Renault welcomes him and promises to capture the culprit that night at Rick's Cafe.
Rick hides the exit visas (10 min)
Rick's Cafe is bustling with diverse European migrants. They are unable to leave Casablanca for lack of exit visas and while away time by gambling, bartering, and gossiping. Rick’s staff keep nosy customers away from their elusive boss who denies entry to a professional German gambler. A cafe regular, Ugarte, asks Rick to help him hide exit visas, and Rick does. Rick and his piano player Sam turn down cafe-owner Ferrari’s offer to partner in refugee smuggling. Rick spurns a young lady and sends her home.
Renault warns Rick (5 min)
Rick refuses to tell Renault why he stays in Casablanca and assures Renault that he won’t interfere with the upcoming arrest. Renault tells Rick that the leader of the resistance, Victor Laslo, is soon to arrive in Casablanca and warns Rick not to help Laslo escape to America. Rick affirms his neutrality but bets that Victor will ultimately get away.
Renault captures Ugarte (5 min)
Rick rebuffs Ugarte’s pleas for help and he is captured by Renault. Strasser interrogates Rick about his rebel record while Renault defends Rick’s neutrality.
Rick meets Ilsa (10 min)
Victor Laslo and Ilsa, husband and wife, arrive at the cafe to look for Ugarte and is welcomed by Renault, who invites them to his office for an interrogation the next day by Strasser. Renault introduces Rick, who joins them and picks up the bill. Renault orders Victor and Ilsa to be surveilled as they make contact with local rebels.
Paris (10 min)
Rick drinks and waits for Ilsa as Sam tries to convince him to leave her memory behind. Rick reminisces about their being in love in Paris, where Ilsa told him her husband was dead. Rick and Ilsa prepare for their life together and plan to leave Paris as the Germans march in. Ilsa abandons Rick at the train station and writes that he will never see her again. Rick leaves Paris with a broken heart.
Drunken encounter (3 min)
Ilsa arrives at the cafe and tries to tell a drunk Rick why she left him in Paris. Rick cuts her off and demeans her. Ilsa leaves bereft.
Interrogation (3 min)
Strasser and Renault interrogate, threaten, and attempt to bribe Victor and Ilsa, but they are unmoved.
Blue Parrot (6 min)
Rick corners Ilsa and propositions her, Ilsa rejects him. Victor seeks help from Ferrari, who suggests he may be able to help Ilsa, but not Victor. Ilsa refuses to leave her husband behind. Ferrari refers them to Rick who is rumored to possess two visas.
Rick's is shut down (15min)
Rick helps a young woman secure exit visas for her husband without betraying him but he refuses to help Victor because of Ilsa. Rick allows Victor to lead the patrons in provoking the Nazis, leading to Strasser and Renault shutting down his cafe. Strasser threatens Victor's life.
After hours (15 min)
Victor comforts Ilsa. Ilsa confronts Rick and threatens him at gunpoint for the visas, but he is unmoved. Ilsa confesses her love for him and asks Rick to help Victor leave Casablanca alone. As he is arrested by Renault, Victor asks Rick to take Ilsa away to safety.
The goodbye (3 min)
Rick tells Renault he has the exit visas and intends to use them to leave Casablanca with Ilsa. Rick convinces Renault to let Victor go and to recapture him as he tries to escape Casablanca.
The real goodbye (10 min)
Renault rearrests Victor, but Rick forces him at gunpoint to take them all to the airport. Rick sends Ilsa and Victor away on the flight to America and shoots Strasser to guarantee their safety. Renault helps Rick become a fugitive.