Casablanca (1942)

Paul Henreid: Victor Laszlo

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Quotes 

• Rick : Don't you sometimes wonder if it's worth all this? I mean what you're fighting for.

  Victor Laszlo : You might as well question why we breathe. If we stop breathing, we'll die. If we stop fighting our enemies, the world will die.

  Rick : Well, what of it? It'll be out of its misery.

  Victor Laszlo : You know how you sound, Mr. Blaine? Like a man who's trying to convince himself of something he doesn't believe in his heart.

• Rick : I congratulate you.

  Victor Laszlo : What for?

  Rick : Your work.

  Victor Laszlo : I try.

  Rick : We *all* "try"; *You* succeed!

• Victor Laszlo : Everything is in order.

  Rick : All except one thing. There's something you should know before you leave.

  Victor Laszlo : Mr. 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.

  Victor Laszlo : Yes.

  Rick : What you didn't know was that she was at my place last night when you were. She came there for the letters of transit. Isn't that true, Ilsa?

  Ilsa : Yes.

  Rick : She tried everything to get them and nothing worked. She did her best to convince me she was still in love with me but that was over long ago. For your sake she pretended it wasn't and I let her pretend.

  Victor Laszlo : I understand.

  Rick : Here it is.

  [hands Lazlo the letters of transit] 

  Victor Laszlo : Thanks. I appreciate it. Welcome back to the fight. This time I *know* our side will win.

  [airplane engines start] 

  Victor Laszlo : Are you ready, Ilsa?

  Ilsa : Yes, I'm ready. Good-bye Rick. God bless you.

  Rick : You better hurry. You'll miss that plane.

• Berger : We read five times that you were killed, in five different places.

  Victor Laszlo : As you can see, it was true every single time.

• Captain Renault : By the way, last night you evinced an interest in Señor Ugarte.

  Victor Laszlo : Yes.

  Captain Renault : I believe you have a message for him?

  Victor Laszlo : Nothing important, but may I speak to him now?

  Major Heinrich Strasser : You would find the conversation a trifle one-sided. Señor Ugarte is dead.

  Ilsa : Oh.

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

• Victor Laszlo : Play the "Marseillaise."... Play it!

• Captain Renault : Oh no, Emil, please. A bottle of your best champagne, and put it on my bill.

  Emil : Very well, sir.

  Victor Laszlo : Captain, please...

  Captain Renault : Oh, please, monsieur. It is a little game we play. They put it on the bill, I tear up the bill. It is very convenient.

• Victor Laszlo : Welcome back to the fight. This time I know our side will win.

• Victor Laszlo : And what if you track down these men and kill them, what if you killed all of us? From every corner of Europe, hundreds, thousands would rise up to take our places. Even Nazis can't kill that fast.

• Victor Laszlo : Are you enough of a businessman to appreciate an offer of 100,000 francs?

  Rick : I appreciate it, but I don't accept it.

• Victor Laszlo : You ran guns to Ethiopia. You fought against the fascists in Spain.

  Rick : What of it?

  Victor Laszlo : Isn't it strange that you always happen to be fighting on the side of the underdog?

  Rick : Yes. I found that a very expensive hobby, too. But then I never was much of a businessman.

• Victor Laszlo : I know a good deal more about you than you suspect. I know, for instance, that you're in love with a woman. It is perhaps a strange circumstance that we both should be in love with the same woman. The first evening I came to this café, I knew there was something between you and Ilsa. Since no one is to blame, I - I demand no explanation. I ask only one thing. You won't give me the letters of transit: all right, but I want my wife to be safe. I ask you as a favor, to use the letters to take her away from Casablanca.

  Rick : You love her that much?

  Victor Laszlo : Apparently you think of me only as the leader of a cause. Well, I'm also a human being. Yes, I love her that much.

• Captain Renault : Did you have a good night's rest?

  Victor Laszlo : I slept very well.

  Captain Renault : That's strange; nobody's supposed to sleep well in Casablanca.