# "Casablanca": Why can't the Germans just arrest Laszlo? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 4, 2014, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/casablanca-why-cant-the-germans-just-arrest-laszlo/700409 "2014-10-04T22:00:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 1\ **Showing post:** 3
**Author:** ![scoots](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b77776/32.png) [@scoots](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scoots)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2014, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/casablanca-why-cant-the-germans-just-arrest-laszlo/700409/3 "2014-10-04T23:08:18Z")
From this thread: > **["Casablanca" question: Victor Lazlo vs. German major](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=20798)** > > I watched the movie Casablanca, for the first time, on video last night. I’m a little bit puzzled on one point: If the German Major Strassner could order Rick’s saloon closed (after the patrons sang “La Marseillase”), why couldn’t he have arrested... > [@"Casablanca" question: Victor Lazlo vs. German major](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/casablanca-question-victor-lazlo-vs-german-major/15956/12): > > The answer is covered amply in the screenplay. > > 1. Major Strasser has no official powers in Casablanca. > > 2. Captain Renaud is willing to cooperate with the Germans. He is also willing to arrest Lazlo – if Lazlo breaks the law. Since Casablanca is independent of Nazi Germany, though, Renaud has to be able to charge Lazlo with something. > > 3. When Strasser tells him to shut down Rick’s (note – it’s not technically an order), Renaud is willing to go along because he does have a reason and because he wants to cooperate. Shutting it down is also within his powers, whereas arresting Lazlo would only put Lazlo in front of a judge who could release him. > > An interesting point – if Strasser had _bribed_ Renaud to arrest Lazlo, it probably would have happened. --- _[View the full topic](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/casablanca-why-cant-the-germans-just-arrest-laszlo/700409)._