Kehoe-Casablanca

This is a still from the final scene of Casablanca in which the audience sees Rick and Captain Renault walk of into the fog after shooting Major Strasser. I feel that the political expediency theory is used most heavily and most obviously in this last scene. I feel that when Captain Renault saves Rick from being arrested for the shooting of Strasser. I feel that this action is so out of Renault's character that it makes it a little hard to believe. Though Renaults disposition and nature was friendly and like-able, Renault is the man who calls Strasser with the intent to turn Rick in, Renault is also the one who arrests Ugarte with such glee. It is obvious that the writers had the intent to make Renault into a positive character that American audiences would sympathize with, but his actions are too little too late, and I do not buy him as a one of the protagonists.