Gee I thought it was written for a movie. - tom
The situation Rick (Humphrey Bogart) and Victor Laszlo (Paul Henreid) are upstairs in Rick's office, with Laszlo offering to buy the letters of transit. Rick refuses, and in reply to Laszlo's question as to why, Rick tells him to ask his wife.
They then hear German officers singing Die Wacht am Rhein in the main room below. Rick and Laszlo go out on the balcony and look down at the Germans singing. Renault is watching from the bar, his eyebrow raised. Laszlo, listening tight-lipped, finally walks down the steps and goes decisively over to the band, telling them: "Play the Marseillaise! Play it!"
The band members look down, then up toward Rick, who nods to them. Having obtained Rick's approval, the band then begins to play the Marseillaise, and one of the most electrifying scenes in film history unfolds.
""1. often Fascism
1. A system of government marked by centralization of authority under a dictator, stringent socioeconomic controls, suppression of the opposition through terror and censorship, and typically a policy of belligerent nationalism and racism.
2. A political philosophy or movement based on or advocating such a system of government.
2. Oppressive, dictatorial control.""
From Dictionary.com.
Let's see, France is socialist. Chirac is a socialist. Oh! France is antisemetic.