Casablanca Page #10

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RENAULT:

If Rick has the letters, he's much

too smart to let you find them

there .

STRASSER:

You give him credit for too much

cleverness. My impression was that

he's just another blundering

American .

RENAULT:

But we mustn't underestimate

American blundering. I was with

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them when they "blundered" into

Berlin in 1918.

Strasser looks at him.

STRASSER:

As to Laszlo, we want him watched

twenty-four hours a day.

RENAULT:

(reassuringly)

It may interest you to know that at

this very moment he is on his way

here .

INT. PREFECTURE LOBBY - MORNING

CUT TO:

Laszlo and Ilsa make their way through the jam in the lobby

of the Prefecture.

Jan and Annina talk to an officer.

OFFICER:

(to Jan and Annina)

There's nothing we can do.

CUT TO:

INT. RENAULT'S OFFICE - MORNING

Laszlo and Ilsa enter Renault's office.

Renault bows to them both.

RENAULT:

I am delighted to see you both. Did

you have a good night's rest?

LASZLO:

I slept very well.

RENAULT:

That's strange. Nobody is supposed

to sleep well in Casablanca.

LASZLO:

(coldly)

May we proceed with the business?

RENAULT:

With pleasure. Won't you sit down?

63

LASZLO:

Thank you.

They take their seats.

STRASSER:

(now as cold as Laszlo)

Very well, Herr Laszlo, we will

not mince words . You are an

escaped prisoner of the Reich.

So far you have been fortunate

enough in eluding us. You have

reached Casablanca. It is my

duty to see that you stay in

Casablanca .

LASZLO:

Whether or not you succeed is,

of course, problematical.

STRASSER:

Not at all. Captain Renault's

signature is necessary on every

exit visa.

(turns to Renault)

Captain, would you think it is

possible that Herr Laszlo will

receive a visa?

RENAULT:

I am afraid not. My regrets,

Monsieur .

LASZLO:

Well, perhaps I shall like it in

Casablanca .

STRASSER:

And Mademoiselle?

ILSA:

You needn't be concerned about me.

LASZLO:

Is that all you wish to tell us?

STRASSER:

Don't be in such a hurry. You have

all the time in the world. You may

be in Casablanca indefinitely...

or you may leave for Lisbon tomorrow,

on one condition.

LASZLO:

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And that is?

STRASSER:

You know the leaders of the

underground movement in Paris, in

Prague, in Brussels, in Amsterdam,

in Oslo, in Belgrade, in Athens.

LASZLO:

Even in Berlin.

STRASSER:

Yes, even in Berlin. If you will

furnish me with their names and

their exact whereabouts, you will

have your visa in the morning.

RENAULT:

And the honor of having served the

Third Reich.

LASZLO:

I was in a German concentration camp

for a year. That's honor enough for

a lifetime.

STRASSER:

You will give us the names?

LASZLO:

If I didn't give them to you in a

concentration camp where you had

more "persuasive methods" at your

disposal, I certainly won't give

them to you now.

The passionate conviction in his voice now reveals the

crusader .

LASZLO:

And what if you track down these men

and kill them? What if you murdered

all of us? From every corner of

Europe, hundreds, thousands, would

rise to take our places. Even Nazis

can't kill that fast.

STRASSER:

Herr Laszlo, you have a reputation

for eloquence which I can now

understand. But in one respect you

are mistaken. You said the enemies

of the Reich could all be replaced,

but there is one exception. No one

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could take your place in the event

anything unfortunate should occur to

you while you were trying to escape.

LASZLO:

You won't dare to interfere with me

here. This is still unoccupied

France. Any violation of neutrality

would reflect on Captain Renault.

RENAULT:

Monsieur, insofar as it is in my

power —

LASZLO:

-- Thank you.

RENAULT:

By the way, Monsieur, last night

you evinced an interest in Signor

Ugarte .

LASZLO:

Yes.

RENAULT:

I believe you have a message for him?

LASZLO:

Nothing important, but may I speak

to him now?

STRASSER:

You would find the conversation a

trifle one-sided. Signor Ugarte

is dead.

Close-ups of Ilsa, then Laszlo, reveal their disappointment.

Strasser observes their reaction.

ILSA:

(softly)

Oh.

Renault holds a report.

RENAULT:

I am making out the report now. We

haven't quite decided whether he

committed suicide or died trying to

escape .

LASZLO:

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Are you quite finished with us?

STRASSER:

For the time being.

LASZLO:

Good day.

Renault rings a buzzer and the door is opened for them.

As Ilsa and Laszlo leave, an OFFICER comes in.

RENAULT:

Undoubtedly their next step will be

to the black market.

OFFICER:

Excuse me, Captain. Another visa

problem has come up.

RENAULT:

Show her in.

OFFICER:

Yes, sir.

Renault looks at himself in the mirror and straightens

his tie.

CUT TO:

EXT. BLACK MARKET - DAY

The black market is a cluttered Arab street of bazaars,

shops and stalls. All kinds and races of people mill about

the merchandise which native dealers have on outdoor

display .

Both men and women are dressed in tropical clothes. The

canopies over the stalls give them some protection from the

scorching sun.

On the surface the atmosphere is merely languid, but

underneath lies the sinister workings of illicit trade.

A FRENCHMAN and a NATIVE huddle together and talk in low

tones .

NATIVE:

I'm sorry, Monsieur, we would have

to handle the police. This is a job

for Signor Ferrari.

FRENCHMAN:

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Ferrari?

NATIVE:

It can be most helpful to know

Signor Ferrari. He pretty near

has a monopoly on the black market

here. You will find him over there

at the Blue Parrot.

FRENCHMAN:

Thanks .

CUT TO:

EXT. THE BLUE PARROT - DAY

Outside the cafe, a blue parrot sits on a perch.

CUT TO:

INT. THE BLUE PARROT - DAY

The cafe is much less pretentious than Rick's, but well

populated.

Rick enters and walks through the cafe toward Ferrari ' s

office just as Ferrari emerges with Jan and Annina, who look

very disappointed.

FERRARI:

There, don't be too downhearted.

Perhaps you can come to terms with

Captain Renault .

JAN:

Thank you very much, Signor.

Jan leads Annina away.

RICK:

Hello, Ferrari.

Signor Ferrari turns around. He's pleased to see Rick.

FERRARI:

Ah, good morning, Rick.

They shake hands .

RICK:

I see the bus is in. I'll take my

shipment with me.

FERRARI:

68

No hurry. I'll have it sent over.

Have a drink with me.

RICK:

I never drink in the morning. And

every time you send my shipment

over, it's always just a little bit

short .

FERRARI:

(chuckling)

Carrying charges, my boy, carrying

charges. Here, sit down. There's

something I want to talk over with

you, anyhow.

He hails a waiter.

FERRARI:

The bourbon.

(to Rick, sighing deeply)

The news about Ugarte upset me very

much .

RICK:

You're a fat hypocrite. You don't

feel any sorrier for Ugarte than I

do .

He eyes Rick closely.

FERRARI:

Of course not. What upsets me is

the fact that Ugarte is dead and no

one knows where those letters of

transit are.

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