Casablanca

I just finished watching Casablanca, the 1942 classic starring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman. I'd never actually seen it before, though it has been vividly described in so many movies that much of it felt incredibly familiar.

The most famous line in the movie is the very last one, spoken by Bogart: "Louie, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship."

But there's another one that caught my attention even more, especially given recent events in London. It's spoken by Paul Henreid's character, Victor Laszlo. Laszlo, a celebrated freedom fighter, has committed his life to fighting the Nazi scourge in Europe. Rick Blaine (Bogart) asked him why he kept on fighting and didn't just give up. Laszlo responded (paraphrasing): "Breathing air and fighting one's enemies have something in common. If you give up doing either, you die."