"We have a theory why: The filmmakers were smart enough to skip the happily-ever-after part. Instead, Ilsa gets on the plane and escapes Nazi-controlled Casablanca. Rick starts a "beautiful" friendship with the police chief, in the pre-"Brokeback Mountain" era, when men could walk off into the sunset together without ever having to worry about quitting each other."
WTF? WHy is it nowadays that male friendships are always translated into, oh, they're gay.