I know, right?
Look, I know this wasn’t the original intent of the filmmakers, but it honestly ties the film together much better than the fascile story with it’s multitude of plot holes, unrealistic character motivations, and turns the tinny, optimism of pre-US involvement in World War II into the cynical, hard-bitten, Mamet-esque neo-noir that it should have been all along.
Stranger
I’m sure I remember screenwriter Howard Koch admitting nonchalantly that there was no such thing as a letter of transit- that such papers were merely a convenient plot device.
Thing is, Strasser’s actions do kind of make sense – once you accept the ‘Letters of Transit’ BS anyway. Strasser and Renault are in a delicate situation: Strasser has no formal power in Casablanca, but if push comes to shove Germany can of course make Vichy France comply. On the other hand, Germany and Strasser want to avoid as much as possible the resentment that heavy-handed interference would cause. So Strasser and Renault are both, separately, trying to find the right level of cooperation that will neither anger French citizens enough to cause problems, nor make German higher-ups feel forced into doing something harsh. And, at the same time, Strasser is trying to neutralize Laszlo, but not make him a martyr or cause too much bad press either, so summary execution is probably a bad move from that point of view as well.
So I think, Strasser and Renault are happy to keep Laszlo trapped in Casablanca for the time being. Not issuing an exit visa is a pretty minor concession, that won’t bring howling mobs to Renault’s or Strasser’s, office, and it let’s Renault avoid anything more serious like actually arresting Laszlo (and Renault knows he can’t get away with completely trumped up charges against an international celebrity), while avoiding any confrontation between Strasser and Renault.
Of course, once it looks like Laszlo’s about to escape, Strasser decides more forceful action is required and literally pulls out his gun.
I’m thinking now that they were more like diplomatic passports, giving the bearer immunity from prosecution and the right to travel freely across borders.*
*Sho’ do wish I could have some a dat! :o
He was probably “seconded” from the SD or SS to the Luftwaffe. I doubt there was anyone assigned to ANY Third Reich diplomatic mission wore an SS or SD uniform while in their host country. And I don’t believe there was a single embassy that Himmler didn’t have someone who reported directly to him.
In 1942, Morocco was under the control of the Vichy government, i. e. the part of France that wasn’t occupied by German troops until the end of 1942. German military or police had no authority there. The only German officials who were present in Morocco would have been liaison officers or maybe consular staff.
To illustrate this, among the ranks of the French Foreign Legion (which had units stationed in Morocco throughout that period) there was a significant number of German nationals who had either fled the Nazis or who were otherwise not keen on returning to Germany (because Nazi Germany went after it’s citizens who had joined the military of the arch enemy France).
Yet the French Foreign Legion was able to protect these individuals from the Germans who tried on numerous occasions to have them handed over.
Annina: We come from Bulgaria. Oh, things are very bad there, Monsieur. The devil has the people by the throat. So, Jan and I we - we do not want our children to grow up in such a country.
Rick: So you decided to go to America.
Annina: Yes. But we have not much money and…traveling is so expensive and difficult. It was much more than we thought to get here. And then Captain Renault sees us, and he is so kind. He wants to help us.
Rick: Yes, I’ll bet.
Annina: He tells me you can give us an exit visa, but, but we have no money.
Rick: Does he know that?
Annina: Oh yes.
Rick: And he’s still willing to give you a visa?
Annina: Yes, monsieur.
Rick: And you want to know…
Annina: Will he keep his word?
Rick: He always has.
Renault is a creep and a parasite, but he’s an honest one, and not the cut-rate kind like Ugarte that Rick so despises.
Stranger
Rick doesn’t despise Ugarte, he’d have to give him some thought first.