History Film / Casablanca

* AgeGapRomance: Ilsa is noticeably younger than Victor and significantly younger than Rick. [[LampshadeHanging Lampshaded]] in Rick's repeated line to Ilsa ('Here's looking at you, ''kid''') and when Ilsa and Rick discuss in the {{Flashback}} what they were doing 10 years beforehand -- Ilsa was getting her braces, Rick was looking for a job.

* BlatantLies: According to Sam he doesn't know where Rick is, he hasn't been in all night, he spends a lot of time at Blue Parrot and he forgot how to play "As Time Goes By". Apparently he used to be a better liar.

** When there is only an exit visa for Elsa not Victor he assures her that if it were the other way around he'd leave her to save his own skin. Ilsa then gives several examples of him doing exactly the opposite.

* BookEnds: The film opens and closes with Max Steiner's arrangement of the French national anthem, "La Marseillaise".

* BystanderSyndrome: Rick appears this way for a while ("I stick my neck out for nobody"), especially when he seems willing to turn over a resistance leader to the Nazis because he is married to Rick's former lover. Eventually, however, we see that Rick [[DefaultToGood isn't nearly as selfish as he lets on]].

** Louis' change of heart is more sudden but no less complete: Strasser's death was clearly caused by either him or Blaine, with Louis' lie obvious either way. His subordinates could have turned them both in for a promotion - something that no doubt influenced his decision to skip town.

-->'''Rick:''' ''(storming halfway across the cafe)'' Sam, I thought I told you ''never'' to play that...
* CheeseEatingSurrenderMonkeys:

%%* CrowdSong: The French NationalAnthem scene. - ZCE

** During the Paris flashback, Rick and Ilsa dance to ... ''Perfidia''.

-->No one could take your place if anything unfortunate should occur to you while you were trying to escape.

-->'''Strasser''': The French authorities may find a reason to put him in the concentration camp here.
-->'''Ilsa''': The other alternative?
-->'''Strasser''': My dear, perhaps you have already observed that in Casablanca human life is cheap.

'''Emile:''' ''[handing him a stack of bills]'' Your winnings, sir.\\

* LaResistance: Lazlo is a key player in European Resistance movements. By the end of the film, it's implied that Rick and Louis Renault join the French Resistance.

* LesCollaborateurs: The police, particularly Louis -- unusually, he redeems himself. Louis is in fact all cool with his normally extremely controversial behavior of opportunism. He, for instance, at one point nonchalantly informs Rick that he will go to his Nazi superior to lick ass for his own sake.
-->'''Renault:''' I blow with the wind, and right now, the prevailing wind blows from Vichy.

* MusicForCourage: The French national anthem scene "La Marseillaise" is played as a beautiful answer to "Die Wacht am Rhein". A Nazi at the back in the shot where Maj. Strasser is conducting accidentally sings a bar of the Marseillaise, then looks embarrassed. Part of the reason that scene is so powerful is that many of the extras were actual European refugees who had come to California. When you see Yvonne crying during the song? She was French, hearing her country's anthem for the first time in years. Not just Yvonne -- but the ''actress.''
-->''"Vive la France! Vive la démocratie!"''
** Her name was Madeleine Lebeau. She and her Jewish husband Marcel Dalio had really taken the terrible journey described in the opening narration of the film, fleeing France ahead of the occupation, obtaining letters of transit[[note]]in their case, very likely from Portuguese consul [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aristides_de_Sousa_Mendes Aristedes de Sousa Mendes]], whose heroic actions [[ScrewTheRulesImDoingWhatsRight helped Jewish and non-Jewish refugees to escape in defiance of government orders]] and earned him a Righteous Among The Nations commendation from the state of Israel[[/note]] and being stranded in Mexico with bogus Chilean passports before finally getting to the U.S. She was the last credited cast member of ''Casablanca'' to die, in 2016.

* MyHovercraftIsFullOfEels: The Leuchtags, the elderly German (or, at least ''German speaking''--possibly Austrian or Swiss) couple headed for America, are trying to make the transition to using English to become better acclimated to American life. Their English is good for the most part until they trip over the fact that the German word "Uhr" can, depending on context, mean "watch", "time", or "o'clock":

'''Karl:''' (''smiling'') You will get along beautifully in America.

** Rick's past was such a mystery, even the writers didn't know. They spent a lot of time trying to come up with something appropriately cool; they failed. One finally suggested 'unpaid parking tickets.' That was the point when they gave up and left it "a little vague."

* ProperlyParanoid: Karl, after the slightest contact with the "vultures everywhere" pickpocket, checks himself thoroughly for his valuables. Also Laszlo: when Ferrari points out that he and Lisa are being followed, Victor smiles, "Of course; it becomes an instinct."

* RousseauWasRight: See SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism.

* SequelHook: Renault's line about joining a French garrison in Brazzaville was meant to lead into a thankfully unmade sequel called [[http://www.vincasa.com/indexcasasequel.html ''Brazaville'']].
* SexualExtortion: The scene with the young Bulgarian newlyweds, the Brandels, trying to buy passage to Lisbon from Captain Renault. He wants either a very large sum of money or sexual favors from the wife. In the end, Rick helps them to raise the money by cheating to let them win at roulette. In contrast to most examples of this trope, Renault is willing to take the money if they do happen to have it, and apparently always keeps his word if they don't. It's what lets him keep the 'Affable' in AffablyEvil.
-->'''Renault:''' ''(to Rick, after the Brandels leave)'' I'll forgive you this time. But I'll be in tomorrow night with a breathtaking blonde, and it will make me very happy if she loses.

--> '''Rick''' ''(to Ilsa)'' Tell me, who was it that you left me for? Was is Lazlo, or were there others in between? Or aren't you the kind that tells?

* UnderlingWithAnFInPR: When Louis Renault closes Rick's Cafe early, Rick's croupier Emile undermines his stated reason for shutting the establishment down:

'''Emile:''' ''[handing him a stack of bills]'' Your winnings, sir.\\

* VillainousBreakdown: When he's captured by the police in Casablanca, Ugarte has a brief but memorable breakdown.

** Only Creator/PeterLorre could get away with that and make it sound genuine and even heartrending, and not like {{Narm}}.
* VillainSong: Strasser and his men briefly sing a patriotic German tune in Rick's club, but it is then drowned out by "Marseillaise," sung by the club's other patrons led by Victor.

-->"Louis, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship."

-->"Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world -- she drops into mine!"

* XanatosSpeedChess: Possibly Ferrari, behind the scenes. We know he wants Rick's Cafe and all of the talent Rick has running it. So, when Ilsa and Victor approach him, he offers: "I am moved to make one more suggestion; why, I do not know, because it cannot possibly profit me, but, have you heard about Signor Ugarte and the letters of transit...?" In the end, [[spoiler:he gains Rick's Cafe and most of the talent running it]], so it ''did'' profit him. He also has little to gain from the Nazis closely watching the black market.

'''Captain Renault:''' I am making out the report now. We haven't quite decided yet whether he committed suicide or died trying to escape.

* AgeGapRomance: Ilsa is noticeably younger than Victor and significantly younger than Rick. [[LampshadeHanging Lampshaded]] in Rick’s repeated line to Ilsa (‘Here’s looking at you, ''kid''’) and when Ilsa and Rick discuss in the {{Flashback}} what they were doing 10 years beforehand -- Ilsa was getting her braces, Rick was looking for a job.

** The movie is more lighthearted about it than most, but it's there. Casablanca is filled with refugees fleeing from war zones or fascist police states, who are now targeted by all sorts of people seeking to exploit them. Leaving for a better place isn't ''impossible,'' but involves either a prohibitive cost that most refugees can't afford (and they often impoverish themselves further by trying to win the money through gambling), or, if you're a young attractive woman, sleeping with the local DirtyCop. Organized crime thrives and the authorities are openly corrupt, with even the protagonist having to pay bribes to keep operating. The police shoots people in broad daylight and routinely rounds up large numbers of designated suspects simply for the pretense of efficiency. And all this is ''before'' the Nazis show up and start breathing down everyone's necks.

* CrowdSong: The French NationalAnthem scene.

** Louis’ first meeting with Strasser has him note that they’ve rounded up twice the usual number of suspects for the couriers’ murders, showing both his open corruption and his tendency to not take his job all that seriously. In his next scene, he playfully prods at Rick’s cynical façade, showing that he doesn’t really buy his friend’s gruff demeanor.

** Rick is in love with Ilsa, but can see quite well how she adores Victor. All of the above considered, he could abandon Victor, take Ilsa away, and everyone would get something they want, at the sacrifice of Victor's life and his fight against the Nazis. As he has the Letters of Transit, he is ultimately the only one who can make the decision. [[spoiler: Rick decides to shoot Major Strasser and run off with Captain Renault to join the Free French, [[IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy leaving Victor and Ilsa to escape together]] and carry on the fight.]]

* LeaningOnTheFourthWall: Rick asking "Are my eyes really brown?" It is a black and white film, after all. [[note]]They are.[[/note]]

* MyHovercraftIsFullOfEels: The Leuchtags, the elderly German (or, at least ''German speaking''--possibly Austrian or Swiss) couple headed for America, are trying to make the transition to using English to become better acclimated to American life. Their English is good for the most part, until they trip over the fact that the German word "Uhr" can, depending on context, mean "watch", "time", or "o'clock":

* TheReasonYouSuckSpeech: Ilsa gives Rick one when she’s in his office and refuses to give her the letter, calling him out on his choice to screw over the Resistance just for being snubbed. She quickly apologises, though.

** Rick's bar is the one central location in the film, And right in the middle of the bar is Sam's piano. When you also consider the fact that the piano is where the letters of transit are hidden — the one thing on which the entire plot hinges -- you know that piano is important. The piano also provides a link to Rick's and Ilsa's past. It's where Ilsa first goes when she enters the café; she asks Sam to play for a song that used to be "their" song, a song that Rick has refused to let Sam play because it just hurts too much to hear it. And then, One of the most essential, stirring scenes in the movie is when the German officers are singing their anthem, and then Laszlo swoops in and gets the orchestra to start playing France's anthem. It's representative of the whole political struggle that's embedded in this story. Music is the expression of the soul; it steps up to the plate when words are insufficient. And there are so many times in Casablanca where, despite all the brilliant dialogue, something can only be said with a look, or a touch, or a kiss.

* TakeThat: When Captain Heinz asks Rick if he could imagine Nazis being in London, Rick replies, "When you get there, ask me." At this time, both in universe and real life, Germany had already abandoned any plans to invade Britain.

* VeryLooselyBasedOnATrueStory: The band contest. There was an actual BarBrawl in a neutral Balkan establishment between a visiting American adventurer and some German visitors over whether German or Allied themed music would be played. It caused a political incident, but was well known enough for President Roosevelt (who thought the whole thing rather funny) to hear of it.

** In addition to the main plot between Rick and Ilsa, the movie demonstrates the corrupt and apathetic nature of DirtyCop Captain Renault by introducing a young, beautiful and sympathetic Bulgarian refugee named Annina whom Renault has agreed to help escape to America with her husband [[SexualExtortion if she performs sexual favors for him]]. Before she makes her choice, the desperate Annina comes to Rick to ask if she can trust that Renault will keep his word and if (as a man) Rick could forgive a wife who [[{{cuckold}} slept with someone else]] even if it was for his own happiness. The young, innocent woman's plight persuades the usually-cynical Rick to rig the roulette tables in her husband's favor and allow them to leave the country without giving in to Renault's demands.

* MyHovercraftIsFullOfEels: The Leuchtags, the elderly German (or, at least ''German speaking''--possibly Austrian or Swiss) couple headed for America, are trying to make the transition to using English to become better acclimated to American life. Their English is good for the most part, until they trip over the fact that the German word "Uhr" can, depending on context, mean "watch", "time", or "o'clock":
-->'''Herr Leuchtag:''' What watch? ("Wie viel Uhr?" = "What time is it?")\\
'''Frau Leuchtag:''' ''[checks her wristwatch]'' Ten watch. ("Zehn Uhr." = "Ten o'clock.")\\
'''Herr Leuchtag:''' Such much? ("Wie viel?" = "It's that late??")\\
'''Karl:''' (''smiling'') You will get along beautifully in America.

* LesCollaborateurs: The police, particularly Louis -- unusually, he redeems himself. Louis is in fact all cool with his normally extremely controversial behavior of opportunism. He, for instance, at one point nonchalantly informs Rick that he will go to his Nazi superior to lick ass for his own sake.
-->'''Renault:''' I blow with the wind, and right now, the prevailing wind blows from Vichy.

%%* TheEmpire: [[ThoseWackyNazis The Nazis]], of course. - ZCE

* EvilCounterpart:
** Played with in the case of Renault, though he's far from evil. Both he and Rick once fought on the side of the angels, with Rick running guns in Spain and Renault fighting alongside the Allies in World War I. Both drifted to Casablanca and adopted a stance of bemused neutrality. Both go through women faster than cigarettes. However, whereas Rick gruffly offers aid to a lovestruck couple here, a freedom fighter there, Renault embraced the corruption and vice that came with his police uniform.
** Strasser is this to Laszlo. Both men are paragons of their factions. Curiously, both seriously underestimate Rick, albeit in different ways.
* ExoticBackdropSetting: Native Moroccans only appear as extras in street scenes.

* FilmingForEasyDub: The ending of the classic final exchange between Renault and Rick -- "Louis, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship" -- was thought up by the producer and dubbed in by Creator/HumphreyBogart after filming was completed.

* PlotParallel: The young Bulgarian couple. They appear throughout the movie going through the "stages" of trying to escape the city just like Laszlo and Ilsa, the young woman is in a similar emotional situation to Ilsa in Paris and Rick at the moment, and if ''that'' weren't enough, their plight is what pushes Rick over the edge and into sticking his neck out for somebody.

%%* FreudianTrio: Rick (Id), Sam (ego), Ilsa (superego). - ZCE

* LaResistance: Lazlo is a key player in European Resistance movements. By the end of the film, it's implied that Rick and Louis Renault join the French Resistance.

* UnlimitedWardrobe: For a refugee travelling with a wanted resistance leader, Ilsa has an impressively varied wardrobe, appearing in a different dress in practically every scene, including a hat large enough to make you wonder what sort of luggage she has.

* VillainSong: Strasser and his men briefly sing a patriotic German tune in Rick's club, but it is then drowned out by "Marseillaise," sung by the club's other patrons led by Victor.

* WhatsAnXLikeYouDoingInAYLikeThis: Rick puts a negative spin on this trope:
-->"Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world -- she drops into mine!"

* HeadTurningBeauty: Everyone in Rick's bar turns their head when Ilsa enters.
-->'''Louis:''' Ms. Lund, I was told you were the most beautiful woman who had ever come to Casablanca. That was a gross understatement.

* TitleDrop: Here of the (unproduced) play it was adapted from. Captain Renault's "Everybody comes to Rick's". The word "Casablanca" is spoken many times, too. {{Justified|Trope}}, being the city in which the story is set.

* SillyRabbitIdealismIsForKids: Rick starts out nursing this view. It doesn't last, though.

* ThresholdGuardians: Rick, who has the [[MacGuffin letters of transit]] that Victor and Ilsa need to leave Casablanca. Rick is perhaps one of the few ThresholdGuardians in fiction to be TheProtagonist.

* ScrewThisImOuttaHere:
** When Rick and Ilsa start talking the first time, Sam immediately packs up the piano and slips away. In fact he flees the scene like the club has caught fire.
** The outcome of Captain Renault's HeelFaceTurn in the finale, when he finally grows tired of toeing the Nazi/Vichy line and decides to join LaResistance with Rick.