What made those lines so memorable? 

And how can that benefit your writing?

As you read this article, you’ll see Famous Lines #28 and #67 and an analysis of what made these lines great.  You may be surprised to see that the success of these lines came from setup, character, subtext, and a few other special ingredients.   And even though the acting was great, the writing played a huge part in the notoriety.

So congratulations to the screenwriters Julius J. Epstein, Philip G. Epstein, and Howard Koch and the play writers Murray Burnett and Joan Alison.

NOTE:  My focus here is what makes this line great.  I won’t be pointing out all the other skills used in this scene.  Also, I’m not going to point out changes I’d make to bring this 1942 script up to today’s standards.

This scene occurs 1/3rd the way through the script.  For those of you who don’t know the story, it takes place in World War 2.  Rick and Ilsa were lovers in Paris, but haven’t seen each other for years.
At that time, they didn’t discuss their lives — especially that Ilsa was married to Laszlo.

Let’s see what we can discover.

                 INT. RICK’S CAFE – NIGHT

                 Ilsa sits alone at her table.

                                       ILSA
                                (to waiter)
                           Will you ask the piano player to
                           come over here, please?

                                       WAITER
                           Very well, Mademoiselle.

                 Sam wheels in the piano to Ilsa’s table. On his face is that
                 funny fear.

                 Ilsa herself is not as self-possessed as she tries to appear.
                 There is something behind this, some mystery.

                                       ILSA
                           Hello, Sam.

                                       SAM
                           Hello, Miss Ilsa. I never expected
                           to see you again.

NOTE:  Let’s start the intrigue right here.  Ilsa knows the piano
player in Rick’s bar…but the pianist never expected to see her
again.  Why?  And why the “funny fear” on his face?

                 He sits down and is ready to play.

                                       ILSA
                           It’s been a long time.

                                       SAM
                           Yes, ma’am. A lot of water under the
                           bridge.

                                       ILSA
                           Some of the old songs, Sam.

                                       SAM
                           Yes, ma’am.

                 Sam begins to play a number. He is nervous, waiting for
                 anything.

                                       ILSA
                           Where is Rick?

                                       SAM
                                (evading)
                           I don’t know. I ain’t seen him all
                           night.

                 Sam looks very uncomfortable.

                                       ILSA
                           When will he be back?

                                       SAM
                           Not tonight no more. He ain’t coming.
                           Uh, he went home.

                                       ILSA
                           Does he always leave so early?

                                       SAM
                           Oh, he never… well…
                                (desperately)
                           he’s got a girl up at the Blue Parrot.
                           He goes up there all the time.

NOTE:  Wow!  A lot of effort went into Sam covering for Rick.  Again,
we’re wondering why.  Is Ilsa a threat in some way?  After all, there’s
a war going on.  Or does it go deeper?  Let’s see.

                                       ILSA
                           You used to be a much better liar,
                           Sam.

                                       SAM
                           Leave him alone, Miss Ilsa. You’re
                           bad luck to him.

NOTE:  Now, we get the subtext.  Sam has been lying and Ilsa
knows it.  Also, Sam has been protecting Rick…but from bad luck?

                                       ILSA
                           Play it once, Sam, for old time’s
                           sake.

                                       SAM
                           I don’t know what you mean, Miss
                           Ilsa.

                                       ILSA
                           Play it, Sam. Play “As Time Goes
                           By.”

NOTE:  There’s the #27 most famous movie quote.  This is the first
time we hear it and it doesn’t yet have enough meaning for it to
truly be that great of a line.   Watch as the meaning is built for this
line and you’ll see how a simple line can become a great one.

                                       SAM
                           Oh I can’t remember it, Miss Ilsa.
                           I’m a little rusty on it.

                 Of course he can. He doesn’t want to play it. He seems even
                 more scared now.

NOTE:  Notice how this song is being set up.  Ilsa says the line
“Play it once Sam, for old time’s sake.” and assumes that Sam
knows what she means.  Sam instantly claims he doesn’t know,
even that he is a little rusty, but all of that is just part of the subtext
of this line.

All of this set up tells us there is something about this song that
is important to this story.

                                       ILSA
                           I’ll hum it for you.

                 Ilsa starts to hum.

                 Sam begins to play it very softly.

                                       ILSA
                           Sing it, Sam.

                 And Sam sings.

                                       SAM
                           You must remember this, A kiss is
                           just a kiss, A sigh is just a sigh,
                           The fundamental things apply, As
                           time goes by.

                 The door to the gambling room opens. Rick comes swinging
                 out. He’s heard the music and he’s livid.

                                       SAM
                           And when two lovers woo, They both
                           say I love you, On that you can rely,
                           No matter what the future brings, As
                           time goes by.

                 Rick walks briskly up to the piano.

                                       RICK
                           Sam, I thought I told you never to
                           play…

NOTE:  Now, we have the second level of meaning that is applied to
the song.  Rick has told Sam never to play the song and is actually
angry that it is being played.

What would cause Rick to ban this song?  What is he so angry
about?

All of this is about dramatizing the line, the song, and even more
important, the relationship.

                 As he sees Ilsa he stops short. Sam stops playing.

                 Two close-ups reveal Ilsa and Rick seeing each other.

                 Rick appears shocked. For a long moment he just looks at
                 her.

                 Sam prepares to move the piano away.

                 Renault and Laszlo approach the table from the bar.

                                       RENAULT
                                (to Ilsa)
                           Well, you were asking about Rick and
                           here he is. Mademoiselle, may I
                           present –

                                       RICK
                           — Hello, Ilsa.

                                       ILSA
                           Hello, Rick.

                                       RENAULT
                           Oh, you’ve already met Rick,
                           Mademoiselle?

                 There’s no answer from either.

NOTE:  And there it is.  The look, the stare, the moment between
two old lovers.   Everything in this scene has been designed to
set up this moment.   The writer used intrigue, subtext, and emotion.
Now that we’re here, what is going to be done with this emotional
moment?

                                       RENAULT
                           Well then, perhaps you also —

                                       ILSA
                           — This is Mr. Laszlo.

                                       LASZLO
                           How do you do?

                                       RICK
                           How do you do?

                                       LASZLO
                           One hears a great deal about Rick in
                           Casablanca.

                                       RICK
                           And about Victor Laszlo everywhere.

                                       LASZLO
                           Won’t you join us for a drink?

                                       RENAULT
                                (laughing)
                           Oh, no, Rick never –

                                       RICK
                           — Thanks. I will.

                 Rick sits down.

                                       RENAULT
                           Well! A precedent is being broken.
                           Er, Emil!

NOTE:  Notice that Renault has provided two things.  First,
confirmation that Rick never drinks.  Then, Rick accepts a drink.
Renault says “A precedent is being broken,” showing us that a
change has taken place here and it is significant.

                                       LASZLO
                           This is a very interesting cafe. I
                           congratulate you.

                                       RICK
                           And I congratulate you.

                                       LASZLO
                           What for?

                                       RICK
                           Your work.

                                       LASZLO
                           Thank you. I try.

                                       RICK
                           We all try. You succeed.

NOTE:  Two things have happened.  First, a worthy adversary
has been introduced.  Laszlo has heard about Rick.  Rick has
heard about Laszlo.

Rick’s last line shows his respect for and possibly concern about
Laszlo.  “We all try.  You succeed.”  That brings us to the second
thing.  Laszlo’s presence means that Ilsa is unattainable.

As with some of the other setups, having Ilsa be unattainable for
now is going to pay off in many ways.  But since we are focused
here on how these famous lines were set up and written, let’s skip
to the next place we see the “Play it, Sam” line and see how the
meaning is amplified by the writer.

After Ilsa and Laszlo leave, Rick is left alone with Sam.

                 INT. RICK’S CAFE – MAIN ROOM – NIGHT

                 The customers have all gone. The house lights are out.

                 Rick sits alone at a table. There is a glass of bourbon on
                 the table directly in front of him, and another empty glass
                 on the table before an empty chair. Near at hand is a bottle.

                 He fills his glass and drinks it quickly.

                 Rick just sits. His face is entirely expressionless. The
                 beacon light from the airport sweeps around the room creating
                 a mood of unreality.

                 Sam comes in and stands hesitantly beside Rick.

                                       SAM
                           Boss.

                 No answer, as Rick drinks.

NOTE:  Remember that Rick didn’t drink, but now, he drinking alone,
in depression.  Again, a visual indication that something serious
has changed in his life.

                                       SAM
                           Boss!

                                       RICK
                           Yeah?

                                       SAM
                           Boss, ain’t you going to bed?

                                       RICK
                           Not right now.

                 Sam now realizes Rick is in a very grim mood.

                                       SAM
                                (lightly)
                           Ain’t you planning on going to bed
                           in the near future?

                                       RICK
                           No.

                                       SAM
                           You ever going to bed?

                                       RICK
                           No.

                                       SAM
                           Well, I ain’t sleepy either.

                                       RICK
                           Good. Then have a drink.

                                       SAM
                           No. Not me, boss.

                                       RICK
                           Then don’t have a drink.

                                       SAM
                           Boss, let’s get out of here.

                                       RICK
                                (emphatically)
                           No, sir. I’m waiting for a lady.

NOTE:  Now, we have a point of recognition for the subtext of all the
lines in this scene to this point.  Rick has gone into a serious
breakdown over Ilsa.

                                       SAM
                                (earnestly)
                           Please, boss, let’s go. Ain’t nothing
                           but trouble for you here.

                                       RICK
                           She’s coming back. I know she’s coming
                           back.

                                       SAM
                           We’ll take the car and drive all
                           night. We’ll get drunk. We’ll go
                           fishing and stay away until she’s
                           gone.

                                       RICK
                           Shut up and go home, will you?

                                       SAM
                                (stubbornly)
                           No, sir. I’m staying right here.

                 Sam sits down at the piano and starts to play softly,
                 improvising.

                                       RICK
                           They grab Ugarte and she walks in.
                           Well, that’s the way it goes. One
                           in, one out. Sam?

                                       SAM
                           Yeah, boss?

                                       RICK
                           Sam, if it’s December 1941 in
                           Casablanca, what time is it in New
                           York?

NOTE:  This is a really great line.  Why didn’t it become one of the
top 100?   Two reasons.  First, it wasn’t set up as an important line.
It’s being used more to show Rick’s state of mind.  He’s distracting
from what he really feels.  So it is a “throw-away line.”

Second, there’s been no major meaning connected to it.  So people
don’t walk out of the theater remembering it.

But let’s go on and see how the final meaning is given to two of
the Top 100 lines.

                                       SAM
                           Uh, my watch stopped.

                                       RICK
                           I bet they’re asleep in New York.
                           I’ll bet they’re asleep all over
                           America.

                 Suddenly he pounds the table and buries his head in his arms.
                 Then he raises his head, trying to regain control.

                                       RICK
                           Of all the gin joints in all the
                           towns in all the world, she walks
                           into mine.

                 He holds his head in his hands.

NOTE:  There’s the #67 line.  “Of all the gin joints in all the towns…”
What makes this a memorable line?  Four things:

       1.  Subtext — This line is saying “I was just getting over her and
            now, she’s back to make me feel all that pain again.”  But if
            it would have said those words, no one would remember it.
       2.  Timing — The most emotional time in the scene.
       3.  Sums up the situation — Rick is in a pathetic situation and
            the line delivers it well.
       4.  Poetic — It has a cadence.  It fits the “setup / punchline” format.

But notice this — If the line had been said when she first walked in,
it would have been meaningless.  However, after we have experienced
all the set up for the relationship, and the total despair that Rick is
in, it is a perfect summation line.

Now, let’s get the rest of the meaning to the “Play it, Sam” line.

                                       RICK
                           What’s that you’re playing?

                                       SAM
                           Just a little something of my own.

                                       RICK
                           Well, stop it. You know what I want
                           to hear.

                                       SAM
                           No, I don’t.

                                       RICK
                           You played it for her and you can
                           play it for me.

                                       SAM
                           Well, I don’t think I can remember
                           it.

                                       RICK
                           If she can stand it, I can. Play it!

                                       SAM
                           Yes, boss.

                 Sam starts to play “As Time Goes By.”

NOTE:  Notice that he didn’t say the exact line, but he amplified the
meaning of the line.   In the first scene, we saw Ilsa’s experience
of the song.  In this scene, we watch Rick’s meltdown.

It is ironic that the same song caused such different experiences.

She reminisces.  He collapses.  She enjoys it.  He is tortured by it.
She encourages Sam with the line “Play it, Sam,” but when it is
Rick’s turn, he demands to hear it as if the song is his punishment
for the mistakes he made in their relationship.

  From a writing perspective, here are some of the things that made
this line great:

       1.  Deep meaning — Love and love lost.
       2.  Multiple reactions — Ilsa reminisces.  Rick collapses. Sam avoids.
       3.  Trigger for a larger experience — “Play it, Sam” instantly takes
            us into the song that is a representation of their love story.

———————-

There you have it.  #67 “Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all
the world, she walks into mine.” and #27 “Play it, Sam. Play ‘As
Time Goes By.”

Overall, these are two simple lines that would have been forgotten
if it wasn’t for a writer who set them up, made them emotional,
and filled them with meaning.   And now that you know how the
writer did it, you can use these same skills on the screenplay
you are writing.

Who knows, maybe one of your lines will be in the Top 100 the
next time they run it.