Great Scene: “Casablanca”
7 min readAug 1, 2008
One of the most memorable movie scenes ever… but have you read the script?
When you think about it, screenwriting is really about scene-writing. If a typical script is 120 pages and the average scene is 2 pages, then that means we write about 60 scenes per screenplay. Clearly, a writer needs to understand how to craft effective, engaging scenes in order to write a good script.
I thought it would be appropriate to begin our Great Scene Series with one of the most memorable moments in cinematic history: the last sequence from the 1941 Warner Bros. classic Casablanca, from the screenplay credited to Julius & Philip Epstein and Howard Koch.
EXT. AIRPORT - NIGHTThe entire airport is surrounded by a heavy fog. The outline
of the transport plane is barely visible.CUT TO:INT./EXT. AIRPORT HANGAR - NIGHTA uniformed ORDERLY uses a telephone near the hangar door.On the airfield a transport plane is being readied. ORDERLY
Hello. Hello, radio tower? Lisbon
plane taking off in ten minutes.
East runway. Visibility: one and one
half miles. Light ground fog. Depth
of fog: approximately 500. Ceiling:
unlimited. Thank you.He hangs up and moves to a car that has just pulled up outside
the hangar.Renault gets out while the orderly stands at attention.He's closely followed by Rick, right hand in the pocket of
his trench coat, covering Renault with a gun.Laszlo and Ilsa emerge from the rear of the car. RICK
(indicating the orderly)
Louis, have your man go with Mr.Laszlo and take care of his luggage. RENAULT
(bowing ironically)
Certainly Rick, anything you say.
(to orderly)
Find Mr. Laszlo's luggage and put it
it on the plane. ORDERLY
Yes, sir. This way please.The orderly escorts Laszlo off in the direction of the plane.Rick takes the letters of transit out of his pocket and hands
them to Renault, who turns and walks toward the hangar. RICK
If you don't mind, you fill in the
names. That will make it even more
official. RENAULT
You think of everything, don't you? RICK
(quietly)
And the names are Mr. and Mrs. Victor
Laszlo.Renault stops dead in his tracks, and turns around. Both
Ilsa and Renault look at Rick with astonishment. ILSA
But why my name, Richard? RICK
Because you're getting on that plane. ILSA
(confused)
I don't understand. What about you? RICK
I'm staying here with him 'til the
plane gets safely away.Rick's intention suddenly dawns on Ilsa. ILSA
No, Richard, no. What has happened
to you? Last night we said -- RICK
-- Last night we said a great many
things. You said I was to do the
thinking for both of us. Well, I've
done a lot of it since then and it
all adds up to one thing. You're
getting on that plane with Victor
where you belong. ILSA
(protesting)
But Richard, no, I, I -- RICK
-- You've got to listen to me. Do
you have any idea what you'd have to
look forward to if you stayed here?
Nine chances out of ten we'd both
wind up in a concentration camp.
Isn't that true, Louis?Renault countersigns the papers. RENAULT
I'm afraid Major Strasser would
insist. ILSA
You're saying this only to make me
go. RICK
I'm saying it because it's true.
Inside of us we both know you belong
with Victor. You're part of his work,
the thing that keeps him going. If
that plane leaves the ground and
you're not with him, you'll regret
it. ILSA
No. RICK
Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow,
but soon, and for the rest of your
life. ILSA
But what about us? RICK
We'll always have Paris. We didn't
have, we'd lost it, until you came
to Casablanca. We got it back last
night. ILSA
And I said I would never leave you. RICK
And you never will. But I've got a
job to do, too. Where I'm going you
can't follow. What I've got to do
you can't be any part of. Ilsa, I'm
no good at being noble, but it doesn't
take much to see that the problems
of three little people don't amount
to a hill of beans in this crazy
world. Someday you'll understand
that. Now, now...Ilsa's eyes well up with tears. Rick puts his hand to her
chin and raises her face to meet his own. RICK
Here's looking at you, kid.CUT TO:EXT. ROAD - NIGHTMajor Strasser drives at break-neck speed towards the airport.He HONKS his horn furiously.CUT TO:INT./EXT. AIRPORT HANGAR - NIGHTLaszlo returns. Rick walks into the hangar and Renault hands
him the letters. He walks back out to Laszlo. LASZLO
Everything in order? RICK
All except one thing. There's
something you should know before you
leave. LASZLO
(sensing what is coming)
Monsieur Blaine, I don't ask you to
explain anything. RICK
I'm going to anyway, because it may
make a difference to you later on.
You said you knew about Ilsa and me. LASZLO
Yes. RICK
But you didn't know she was at my
place last night when you were. She
came there for the letters of transit.
Isn't that true, Ilsa? ILSA
(facing Laszlo)
Yes. RICK
(forcefully)
She tried everything to get them,
and nothing worked. She did her best
to convince me that she was still in
love with me, but that was all over
long ago. For your sake, she pretended
it wasn't, and I let her pretend. LASZLO
I understand. RICK
Here it is.Rick hands the letters to Laszlo. LASZLO
Thanks. I appreciate it.Laszlo extends his hand to Rick, who grasps it firmly. LASZLO
And welcome back to the fight. This
time I know our side will win.On the airfield the airplane engine TURNS OVER and the
propellers start turning. They all turn to see the plane
readying for take-off.Ilsa looks at Rick and he returns her stare with a blank
expression. He then glances at Laszlo, as does Ilsa.Then Laszlo breaks the silence. LASZLO
Are you ready Ilsa? ILSA
Yes, I'm ready.
(to Rick)
Goodbye, Rick. God bless you. RICK
You better hurry, or you'll miss
that plane.Rick watches as Ilsa and Laszlo walk very deliberately towards
the plane. RENAULT
Well, I was right. You are a
sentimentalist. RICK
Stay where you are. I don't know
what you're talking about.Rick puts a cigarette in his mouth. RENAULT
What you just did for Laszlo, and
that fairy tale that you invented to
send Ilsa away with him. I know a
little about women, my friend. She
went, but she knew you were lying. RICK
Anyway, thanks for helping me out. RENAULT
I suppose you know this isn't going
to be pleasant for either of us,
especially for you. I'll have to
arrest you, of course. RICK
As soon as the plane goes, Louis.The door to the plane is closed by an attendant and it slowly
taxies down the field.Suddenly a speeding car comes to a stop outside the hangar.Strasser alights from the car and runs toward Renault. STRASSER
What is the meaning of that phone
call? RENAULT
Victor Laszlo is on that plane.Renault nods toward the field. Strasser turns to see the
plane taxiing towards the runway. STRASSER
Why do you stand here? Why don't you
stop him? RENAULT
Ask Monsieur Rick.Strasser looks briefly at Rick, then makes a step towards
the telephone just inside the hangar door. RICK
Get away from that phone.Strasser stops in his tracks, looks at Rick, and sees that
he is armed. STRASSER
(steely)
I would advise you not to interfere. RICK
I was willing to shoot Captain
Renault, and I'm willing to shoot
you.Strasser watches the plane in agony. His eyes dart towards
the telephone. He runs toward it and desperately grabs the
receiver. STRASSER
Hello? RICK
Put that phone down! STRASSER
Get me the Radio Tower! RICK
Put it down!Strasser, one hand holding the receiver, pulls out a pistol
with the other hand, and SHOOTS quickly at Rick. The bullet
misses its mark.Rick now SHOOTS at Strasser, who crumples to the ground.At the sound of an approaching car both men turn. A police
car SPEEDS in and comes to a stop near Renault. Four gendarmes
hurriedly jump out.In the distance the plane turns onto the runway.The gendarmes run to Renault. The first one hurriedly salutes
him. GENDARME
Mon Capitaine! RENAULT
Major Strasser's been shot.Renault pauses and looks at Rick. Rick returns Renault's
gaze with expressionless eyes. RENAULT
Round up the usual suspects. GENDARME
Oui, mon Capitaine.The gendarmes take Strasser's body away and then drive off.Renault walks inside the hangar, picks up a bottle of Vichy
water, and opens it. RENAULT
Well, Rick, you're not only a
sentimentalist, but you've become a
patriot. RICK
Maybe, but it seemed like a good
time to start. RENAULT
I think perhaps you're right.As he pours the water into a glass, Renault sees the Vichy
label and quickly DROPS the bottle into a trash basket which
he then KICKS over.He walks over and stands beside Rick. They both watch the
plane take off, maintaining their gaze until it disappears
into the clouds.Rick and Louis slowly walk away from the hangar toward the
runway. RENAULT
It might be a good idea for you to
disappear from Casablanca for a while.
There's a Free French garrison over
at Brazzaville. I could be induced
to arrange a passage. RICK
My letter of transit? I could use a
trip. But it doesn't make any
difference about our bet. You still
owe me ten thousand francs. RENAULT
And that ten thousand francs should
pay our expenses. RICK
Our expenses? RENAULT
Uh huh. RICK
Louis, I think this is the beginning
of a beautiful friendship.The two walk off together into the night.FADE OUT:THE END
Here is the scene from the movie in two parts:
Classic stuff. And most definitely a Great Scene!
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