1941. Casablanca. Under the iron heel of the Nazis, if you wanted to escape from Europe to Brazil, you had to detour through the northern Moroccan city of Casablanca. This makes the situation in the city extremely tense. Rick, the owner of Rick's Cafe, is a mysterious man. This remote town suddenly became lively. People came here from various European countries under the iron heel of fascism because they could get exit passports here to go to the United States via Lisbon. However, the price is extremely high. Tragedy happens every day here for the exit permit.
A German plane landed in Casablanca carrying the secret police leader Major Strass. The local French police chief, Captain Renaud, went to greet him. It turned out that not long ago, two German couriers were killed, and the two passports they carried signed by General de Gaulle were taken away. While Strass was pursuing this case, he also had a more important task: tracking Victor Laszlo, a leader of the Czech left-wing movement.
Reno reported to him that the murderer had been identified and he would be arrested in public in a hotel tonight. Strass ordered Renault not to allow Laszlo to leave Casablanca, which was of paramount importance to the German government.
Luxury coffee shop near Casablanca Airport. There are many customers, Europeans, Africans, Asian Turks. The black musician Sam sat in front of the piano, playing and singing. But the center of discussion among pleasure seekers is still the passport. A beautiful woman: "I used to want a villa in Cannes, but now I just want an exit passport." A man: "If I can't get a passport, I will die in Casablanca." Only the owner of the hotel, Rick, looked like that Calm and indifferent, sitting alone at the table.
Yugat, who specializes in reselling exit passports, came to Rick, took out the envelope containing two passes, and asked Rick to keep it for him. He told Rick that he had killed the two German couriers. Sell ??it today, make a fortune, and leave here. Although Rick didn't like the man, he acquiesced to keep it for him and put the pass in the back cover of the piano that Sam was still playing.
Just after Yugart left, Renault came. He told Rick that Laszlo had come to Casablanca and asked Rick not to be an emotionalist. Strass knew that Rick had participated in the anti-fascist war in Europe and North Africa. He wants Rick to side with Germany this time and prevent Laszlo from leaving here to go to the United States. Rick refused: "Your profession is politics, and my profession is to open a hotel."
Yugat was arrested and beaten to death by the police. The two passports were not found on him. . Laszlo and his wife Ilsa walked into the hotel. Ilsa found that Sam, who was playing the piano, looked familiar. Sam looked at him carefully for a while before looking back. A man followed and asked Laszlo to buy a ring as a cover. He met Laszlo and agreed on a meeting place. Then Strass and Renaud came to their table. Laszlo refused to talk to Strasz, so Renault had to invite him to the police station in the name of the local police station. After the two men left, Laszlo went to meet the ring seller as scheduled and found out that Yugarte was dead and there was no hope for his passport. Ilsa stayed alone in the restaurant, listening to Sam play the piano. Finally, I made up my mind to go up and say hello to Sam. Sam didn't expect to meet Ilsa here. At Ilsa's request, Sam and Ilsa sang "As Time Goes" together while playing. Rick discovers Ilsa and becomes a different person. Late at night, in the dark hotel, all the customers had left. Sam played "As Time Goes By" softly, and Rick fell into the past: Paris, Rick and Ilsa cuddling, on the street, in a motorboat on the Seine River, in a luxurious hotel. Rick smiled happily: "Why am I so lucky to meet you?" Ilsa told Rick that she once loved a man, but he died. Later, she met Rick and fell in love with him. A promotional van interrupted the lovers' murmur. German troops were advancing on Paris and would capture it within days.
In the hotel, Sam played "As Time Goes By" on the piano, and the loudspeakers on the street broadcast the noise of the Gestapo. Sam and Ilsa knew that Rick was the target of a bounty offered by the German Nazis and advised him to leave Paris immediately. Rick suggested that the three of them go together. We agreed to meet at the train station. When they broke up, Ilsa told Rick that no matter what, she loved him very much. In front of the train station, Rick waited anxiously for Ilsa in the wind and rain. Sam is here. Give Rick a letter from Ilsa. Rick couldn't wait to open it and wrote in the letter: "I can't go with you, and I can't see you again. You must not ask why. Just believe that I love you." Raindrops hit the letter paper, and the handwriting was blurred. ...
Ilsa appeared in front of Rick who was recalling the past. Only then did Rick realize that Sam was preparing to go home. He said coldly to Ilsa: "We have stopped doing business." Ilsa wanted to talk to Rick, but Rick asked her why she came to Casablanca and told her that her heart had been burned by high heels. Kicked. Ilsa wanted to explain, but Rick didn't want to hear it. Laszlo and Ilsa were invited to the police station. Strasz asked Laszlo to reveal the leaders of underground resistance organizations in European countries and promised to issue them passports. Laszlo answered cleverly: "In a concentration camp." Laszlo and Ilsa found Frary, the leader of the black market, and wanted to buy two passports. Frary told them that they could only sell one because Laszlo was controlled by the German authorities and no one dared to sell passports. Give it to him.
Flurry also told them that Yugarte's two special passes were probably in Rick's possession. Although the police station searched for them, they could not find them. He suggested that Laszlo go to Rick for help. But Rick was aloof. Laszlo asked him why, and Rick asked him to ask his wife.
While they were talking, the Germans in the hotel sang a fascist military song. Laszlo went to the orchestra to conduct the Marseillaise, and everyone around him sang, suppressing the Germans' singing. Strass was furious and ordered Renault to close down Rick's Hotel immediately. In the evening, Ilsa came to Rick again and asked him to hand over his pass, but Rick refused. Ilsa asked him again with her old feelings, but he still ignored her. Ilsa had no choice but to draw his pistol. Rick took out the pass, but said that the only way to do it was to shoot him. The gun in Ilsa's hand fell. She told Rick why she left him. Just three weeks after she married Laszlo, he went to Prague. Soon, news came that he had been arrested and died. Later, she met and fell in love with Rick. But just when she was about to leave Paris with Rick and Sam, before heading to the train station, she suddenly received a call from Laszlo's friend, saying that Laszlo was still alive and was in the suburbs of Paris and was ill. Although she loves Rick, she can't leave Laszlo alone. Rick understood everything and decided to help Laszlo. Renault decided to arrest Laszlo because he participated in a secret meeting. After learning about it, Rick helped him give him an idea: wait until Laszlo gets the pass before arresting him. In this way, Renault can kill two birds with one stone, and Rick can also take the beautiful Ilsa to the United States. Renault agreed.
Laszlo came to the hotel a few minutes before the plane took off and got the pass. He wanted to give one hundred thousand francs to Rick, but Rick didn't want it, saying that he would need it when he went to the United States. At this moment, Renault suddenly appeared and announced the arrest of Laszlo. Laszlo was surprised, but Rick took out his pistol and pointed it at Renault, asking him to call the airport: Laszlo and Ilsa must not be left in trouble. Renault called the German consulate. Although it was inconvenient to explain clearly, Strass understood that something was wrong and took the police straight to the airport. Rick forced Renault to sign Laszlo and Ilsa's names on the pass, but Renault and Ilsa were surprised. Rick said to Ilsa: "We will always remember Paris. Before you came to Casablanca, our sweet memory disappeared, and we got it back last night." The plane's motor started. Strass rushed into the airport. When he learned that Laszlo was on the plane, he tried to make a phone call to prevent the plane from taking off. Rick pointed his gun at him, but Strass still picked up the phone and dialed the number. Rick's gun went off, killing Strass. The military police who were following him had just arrived, but Renault ordered the military police to arrest all the usual suspects.
The plane took off. Renault said to Rick: "You are not only a sentimentalist, you have also become a patriot." Rick said this is a good time to start over. Renault expressed the hope that Rick would leave Casablanca and hide for a period of time. He would arrange transportation. Rick mentioned the $100,000 bet, and Renault said that they would need it immediately.
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