Casablanca Quotes
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Source: Casablanca
Speaker: Rick Blaine
Ilsa, I'm no good at being noble, but it doesn't take much to see that the problems of three little people don't amount to a hill of beans in this crazy world.
Context
This line is spoken by Rick Blaine, played by Humphrey Bogart, in the movie Casablanca, directed by Michael Curtiz (1942).
Constantly topping everybody's list of "best of" movies, like, ever, Casablanca is a film buff's dream. It takes us into the gritty life of Rick Blaine, an American who runs a nightclub in Casablanca, Morocco, during the early days of WWII. Things get complicated for Rick when his ex-lover, Ilsa (Ingrid Bergman), sashays into the club with her husband, Lazlo, a Czech rebel who's trying to dodge the Nazis.
This famous quote happens in the climactic scene at the airport, when Rick heroically helps Ilsa and Lazlo escape together—despite the fact that all he really wants is to be with Ilsa forever. Basically, Rick is saying that their love is nothing compared to all the big problems in the world, and that it's more important for Ilsa and Lazlo go out there and fight the Hitler-machine. Aw, what a guy.
We're no good at being noble either, Shmoopers, but we can offer you a clip.
Where you've heard it
This one hasn't been re-quoted as much as Casablanca's many other quotable quotes, but it has proven itself to be totally spoof-worthy. Our favorites have been on Mystery Science Theater 3000—you know, that show where a guy and his robot friends make fun of bad movies. While watching This Island Earth, for example, they say, "You know, all the problems of a hunky guy and a wormy sidekick don't amount to a hill of beans in this crazy world." In another episode they bust on Alien from LA, saying, "The problems of two second-rate actors don't amount to a hill of beans in this underworld"—ouch.
Additional Notable References:
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Pretentious Factor
If you were to drop this quote at a dinner party, would you get an in-unison "awww" or would everyone roll their eyes and never invite you back? Here it is, on a scale of 1-10.
Quoting Casablanca might mark you as a know-it-all movie buff, but is that really such a bad thing?