From The Making of Casablanca: Bogart, Bergman, and World War II
In the Epsteins’ first script, Lois is still Lois and Renault’s womanizing still has an unpleasant edge. However, the groundwork has been laid for the relationship between Rick and Renault, which may lie as close to the emotional heart of the film as the relationship between Rick and Ilsa. The Epsteins have created a bantering between equals, an admiration at the edges of the frame.
RENAULT. I have often speculated on why you do not return to America. Did you abscond with the church funds? Did you run off with the President’s wife? I should like to think you killed a man. It is the romantic in me.
RICK. It was a combination of all three.
RENAULT. And what in Heaven’s name brought you to Casablanca?
RICK. My health. I came to Casablanca for the waters.
RENAULT. Waters? What waters? We are in the desert.
RICK. I was misinformed.
Says Epstein today: “My brother and I tried very hard to come up with a reason why Rick couldn’t return to America. But nothing seemed right. We finally decided not to give a reason at all.”
