13. Captain Renault's several roles here

        

          “At the airport, the outline of the transport plane is barely visible.

Orderly:       Hello, radio tower? Lisbon plane taking off in ten minutes. East runway. Visibility: one and a half miles. Light ground fog. Depth of fog: approximately 500. Ceiling: unlimited.

He hangs up, and crosses to the car that has just pulled up. Renault gets out, closely followed by Rick, hand in pocket, still covering Renault with a gun. Laszlo and Ilsa come from the rear of the car.

Rick [indicating the orderly].       Louis, have your man go with Mr. Laszlo and take care of his luggage.

Renault [bows ironically]. Certainly, Rick. Anything you say. [to Orderly] Find Mr. Laszlo’s luggage and put it on the plane.

Orderly. Yes, sir. This way, please.

The orderly escorts Laszlo off in the direction of the plane.”

        Captain Renault does

        here,

        in this particular scene,

        several tasks: true,

        it would have felt cozier,

having Rick and Ilsa deliver their famous lines, lastnightwesaid,

        we’llalwayshaveparis,

        aside,

        but it was okay, even

        convenient,

        to have the gendarme around, listening

        in, looking on,

        nominally filling in the names on the letters of transit, “Mr.

        and Mrs.

Victor Laszlo”,

for in this scene he serves,

        first,

        as procurer,

        staging the exiting of the husband,

        and plays, within-

the-

play, both

        us

        the peeping toms

        and jeans

        and the Chorus,

        welliwasrightyouareasentimentalist,