neo-neocon » Blog Archive » I am shocked, shocked…

More particularly, who knew that Jersey had such rough and tumble politics?

In contrast, New York is the height of civility and gracious politics. No-one does anything crass in that state.

That scene abounds in irony. The ‘Germans’ in the scene also fled the Nazis — in particular the top villain: Conrad Veidt. Hailing from Austria, he ended up in German villain roles time and again.

The song that the ‘Germans’ are singing is the height of irony:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Die_Wacht_am_Rhein

It was penned in the echo of the Napoleonic age — and is entirely oriented towards the defensive logic of defending Germany from further Napoleonic invasions. Truly a counterpoint to:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Marseillaise

itself as aggressive an anthem as can be. Napoleon invaded Europe humming this tune.

Weirdly, Adolf chose this exact title as the code name for his 1944 push against the American Army in the Ardennes, aka Battle of the Bulge. The crafty Germans figured that such a classic defensive title would fake out the English and Americans even if they were to hear it in ‘clear air.’

Not withstanding its original emotion, the German tune became an anthem during the Franco-Prussian campaign and, later, in WWI.

On a side note; Casablanca is one of my favorite movies and that is one of the best lines ever; especially the looks exchanged between Rick and the guy who brings the money.

Perhaps, the only other scene that beats it is the café crowd singing the Marseillaise shortly before this line. The background story on that is many of the cast singing the Marseillaise to defy the Nazis were, themselves, refugees from the Nazis in real life. Which helps to explain why it is such a powerful, and well done, scene.