Casablanca

FADE IN:

INSERT - A revolving globe. When it stops revolving it turns

briefly into a contour map of Europe, then into a flat map.

Superimposed over this map are scenes of refugees fleeing from

all sections of Europe by foot, wagon, auto, and boat, and all

converging upon one point on the tip of Africa -- Casablanca.

Arrows on the map illustrate the routes taken as the voice of a

NARRATOR describes the migration.

NARRATOR (V.O.)

With the coming of the Second World

War, many eyes in imprisoned Europe

turned hopefully, or desperately,

toward the freedom of the Americas.

Lisbon became the great embarkation

point. But not everybody could get

to Lisbon directly, and so, a tortuous,

roundabout refugee trail sprang up.

Paris to Marseilles, across the

Mediterranean to Oran, then by train,

or auto, or foot, across the rim of

Africa to Casablanca in French Morocco.

Here, the fortunate ones, through money,

or influence, or luck, might obtain

exit visas and scurry to Lisbon, and

from Lisbon to the New World. But

the others wait in Casablanca -- and

wait — and wait — and wait .

The narrator's voice fade away...

EXT. OLD MOORISH SECTION OF THE CITY - DAY

CUT TO:

At first only the turrets and rooftops are visible against

a torrid sky.

The facades of the Moorish buildings give way to a narrow,

twisting street crowded with the polyglot life of a native

quarter. The intense desert sun holds the scene in a torpid

tranquility. Activity is unhurried and sounds are muted.

CUT TO:

INT. POLICE STATION - DAY

A POLICE OFFICER takes a piece of paper from the typewriter,

turns to a microphone, and reads.

POLICE OFFICER:

To all officers! Two German

couriers carrying important official

documents murdered on train from

Oran. Murderer and possible

accomplices headed for Casablanca.

Round up all suspicious characters

and search them for stolen

documents. Important!

CUT TO:

EXT. A STREET IN THE OLD MOORISH SECTION - DAY

An officer BLOWS his whistle several times.

There is pandemonium as native guards begin to round up

people .

A police car, full of officers, with SIREN BLARING, screams

through the street and stops in the market.

Some try to escape but are caught by the police and loaded

into a police wagon.

At a street corner TWO POLICEMEN stop a white CIVILIAN and

question him.

FIRST POLICEMAN:

May we see your papers?

CIVILIAN:

(nervously)

I don't think I have them on me.

FIRST POLICEMAN:

In that case, we'll have to ask you

to come along.

The civilian pats his pockets.

CIVILIAN:

Wait. It's just possible that I...

Yes, here they are.

He brings out his papers. The second policeman examines

them.

SECOND POLICEMAN

These papers expired three weeks ago.

You'll have to come along.

Suddenly the civilian breaks away and starts to run wildly

down the street.

The policeman SHOUTS "Halt", but the civilian keeps going.

JAN and ANNINA BRANDEL, a very young and attractive refugee

couple from Bulgaria, watch as the civilian passes. They've

been thrust by circumstances from a simple country life into

an unfamiliar and hectic world.

A shot RINGS out, and the man falls to the ground. Above

him, painted on the wall, is a large poster of Marshal

Petain, which reads: "Je tiens mes promesses, meme celles

des autres . "

The policeman frantically searches the body, but only

finds Free French literature.

CUT TO:

EXT. PALAIS DE JUSTICE - DAY

We see an inscription carved in a marble block along the

roofline of the building: "Liberte, Egalite, Fraternite"

Rate this script:(4.27 / 18 votes)