Howard Koch

Captain Renault attempts to enlist Rick's help in preventing Victor Laszlo from escaping Casablanca. Rick, feigning indifference, subtly challenges Renault's authority and reveals his underlying awareness of the situation, leading to a wager and a deeper discussion of Laszlo's predicament and Rick's own past.

A drunken and embittered Rick is confronted by Ilsa late at night in his deserted cafe. Rick lashes out with cynical insults regarding their past in Paris, while Ilsa attempts to explain her disappearance and the complicated truth of her marriage.

Ilsa confronts Rick in his apartment, desperately pleading for the letters of transit to save her husband's life. After a tense standoff involving a revolver and accusations of bitterness, the underlying passion between the former lovers resurfaces, leading to a vulnerable confession of love.