Play It Again, Sam

Plot synopsis:
Set in San Francisco, the film begins with the closing scenes of Casablanca, with Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman. We then see that the main character, Allan Felix (Woody Allen), is watching the film in a cinema, mouth agape. He leaves the cinema regretting that he will never be like Rick.
Apart from apparitions of Bogart he also has frequent flashbacks of conversations with his ex-wife, who constantly mocked his sexual inadequacy.
Allan Felix has just been through a messy divorce. His best friend, Dick Christie (Tony Roberts), and Dick's wife, Linda (Diane Keaton), try to convince him to go out with women again, setting him up on a series of blind dates, all of which turn out badly. Throughout the film, he is seen receiving dating advice from the ghost of Humphrey Bogart (played by Jerry Lacy), who is visible and audible only to Allan. Allan's ex-wife Nancy (Susan Anspach) also makes fantasy appearances, as he imagines conversations with her about the breakdown of their marriage. On one occasion, the fantasy seems to run out of control, with both Bogart and Nancy appearing.
When it comes to women, he attempts to become sexy and sophisticated, in particular he tries to be like his idol, Bogart, only to end up ruining his chances by being too clumsy. Eventually, he develops feelings for Linda, around whom he feels relatively at ease and does not feel the need to put on the mask.
At the point where he finally makes his move on Linda (aided by comments from Bogart) a vision of his ex-wife appears and shoots Bogart, leaving him without advice. He then makes an awkward move. Linda runs off but returns, realizing that Allan loves her. The song "As Time Goes By" plays as they kiss, with flashes from Casablanca.
However, their relationship is doomed, just as it was for Rick and Ilsa in Casablanca.
Dick comes home early from Cleveland and confides to Allan that he thinks Linda is having an affair, not realizing that her affair is with Allan. Dick expresses to Allan his love for Linda.
The ending is an allusion to Casablanca's famous ending. Dick is catching a flight to Cleveland, Linda is after him, and Allan is chasing Linda. The fog, the aircraft engine start-ups, the trenchcoats, and the dialogue are all reminiscent of the film, as Allan nobly explains to Linda why she has to go with her husband, rather than stay behind with him.
Allan quotes a closing line from Casablanca, saying, "If that plane leaves the ground and you're not on it, you'll regret it; maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but soon, and for the rest of your life." "That is beautiful", Linda says, causing Allan to admit, "It's from Casablanca. ... I've waited my whole life to say it!" His journey is complete. The music from the scene in Casablanca resumes the theme "As Time Goes By", and the film ends.

Tags: psychedelic, satire, romantic

Review:
Directed by Herbert Ross, "Play It Again, Sam" (1972) is Woody Allen's film from the beginning to the final credits.
I am not a fan of "Casablanca" at all but if my favorite Artist is so much in love with it, maybe I should give it another try.When Allan's wife Nancy leaves him, his best friend Dick (Tony Roberts) and his lovely wife Linda (Diane Keaton) try to fix him up with several eligible pretty young ladies.
"Play It Again, Sam" is a remarkable movie for several reasons and one of them - it was the beginning of a wonderful working (and not only) relationship between Allen and Keaton that would result in the movies "Bananas" (1971), "Sleeper" (1973), "Love and Death" (1975), "Annie Hall" (1977), "Interiors" (1978), "Manhattan" (1979), "Radio Days" (1987), and "Manhattan Murder Mystery" (1993) and will bring them both well deserved fame and Oscars.
My first and foremost thought about this movie is that you MUST see "Casablanca" (1942) first, for two reasons:First, "Play it Again, Sam" contains not only archival footage from the 1942 classic, but numerous dialogic and other references which would be lost on someone who hasn't seen "Casablanca."Second, and more important, is that the surprise ending of "Casablanca" is revealed in the *very first scene* of "Play it again, Sam."Beyond that, "Play it again, Sam" is probably second only to "Annie Hall" among the Woody Allen / Diane Keaton films.
Woody fans will enjoy the neurotic, psychosexual ramblings of the central character, which are typical of his movies, as well as the numerous elements of physical comedy, which are not as common in Woody Allen films.
This classic 1972 comedy written by and starring Woody Allen gives him two, one the specter of Humphrey Bogart, the other a young Diane Keaton just working her way into film.Woody plays Allan Felix, a film critic who has just been dumped by his wife and sets off to fill the hole in his heart.
Keaton is a terrific foil for Allen, both platonically and as it turns out, otherwise, while Tony Roberts as her husband (this being his first of many Allen films, too) makes for a wry straight man with his constant phone calls and his appearances in some fun fantasy send-ups, the best of them in Italian.You really like the characters in this one.
But you laugh a lot watching this film, a nice vehicle for Woody's observational humor and for seeing the game of love played in its most ineptly enjoyable form..
Back in the day when Woody was just as slapstick as he was verbal, "Play It Again, Sam" tells the story of Allen as a divorced film critic crushed by the failure of his marriage.
He is aided by his best friend Dick and his wife Linda (Woody regulars Tony Roberts and Diane Keaton), who assist him in setting up one disastrous date after another.
Because the film was directed by Herbert Ross, the typical rambling dialogue and back-and-forth editing is toned down a bit, so for an Allen vehicle, the movie feels more mannered and has more of a narrative strength than Woody's other wacky 70's productions.
The plot of the movie plays out like a tribute to Casablanca, and it sees recently dumped Allen falling in love with his best friend's wife, all the while under the watchful eye of the great Humphrey Bogart, whom he sees in his daydreams.The humour in this film is awesome and also amazingly funny.
In San Francisco, the neurotic, awkward and clumsy film critic Allan (Woody Allen) that is a fan of "Casablanca" is left by his wife Nancy (Susan Anspach) that is tired of their boring life.
Easily my favorite movie with Woody that he did not direct, 'Play it Again, Sam' is a hysterically funny homage to Bogart, divorce, adultery, dating, an overactive imagination, meeting women in museums, and calling your office with all the telephone numbers you can be reached at..this is some great stuff and Woody's social awkwardness and pratfalls and neuroses will have you laughing throughout.
And Jerry Lacy is VERY funny playing Bogart and giving Allen advice.If you don't like Woody Allen movies this probably won't change your mind.
Naturally, the film is mostly funny when it doesn't.If not women, Allan has two friends, Dick (Tony Roberts), a fitting name for the workaholic real estate agent whose only running (sometimes irritating) gag consists on giving the phone number on each place he's in, and Linda (Diane Keaton), a gentle and sensitive soul, driven by a sort of maternal care toward Allan.
When Allan finally gets to play the role of his all-time idol Bogie, replaying the climax of "Casablanca", he precisely achieved his dream because he wasn't trying to be Bogie, the arc was closed."Play it Again, Sam" is adapted on a Woody Allen's play, and appropriately features all the Allenian trademarks: self-derision, ethnic references, a cute and tender romance that foreshadows the best coming between Allen and Keaton (in a way, "Play it Again, Sam" is like the ancestor of "Annie Hall").
It is filled with great comic lines and slapstick, but carries a serious undertone in it's reverence for Bogart and his movies, and particularly for Casablanca which this movie mimics in it's story of love between Woody and Diane Keaton, who is married to Tony Roberts.
The essential plot of Play It Again, Sam is the plot of Casablanca set to the comedy genre.Woody schleppy, nerdy character reveres old movies, and particularly Bogart's films.
Allen plays his usual nebbish character, this time a film critic named Allan Felix, whose free-spirit wife leaves him for being a boring observer of life.
Eventually, the inevitable happens when Linda and Allan fall in love.What makes the predictable premise unique is the way Allen celebrates classic movies, mainly Warner Brothers melodramas, and has the characters reenact famous scenes to move the story along.
Jerry Lacy does a reasonable impersonation of Bogie, and the long missing Susan Anspach plays Allen's wife with spacey vitriol.While the film obviously lacks the emotional depth and improvisational style of Allen's later films (the obvious comparison being 1977's "Annie Hall" starring the same three leads), it still has a quaint charm to go with its romantic comedy conventionality.
A warmly funny, enormously likable film, it contains some absolutely hilarious moments (watch for his first blind date and the scene where he follows - and overdoes - the advice that Bogart's ghost gave him to tell Diane Keaton how beautiful she is).
With the help of his two friends (Diane Keaton and Tony Roberts) and an imaginary Humphrey Bogart, he attempts to find a mate, but falls for the wrong one.Like I said in the summary, I really don't find Woody Allen to be that great of an actor.
Woody wrote this brilliant comedy, based on his own stage play, and starred as Allan Felix, a (neurotic, of course) film critic that, after being dumped by his wife, is constantly visited by the ghost of his idol, Humphrey Bogart (Jerry Lacy).
The only woman who seems to be ideal for Allan is Linda Christie (Diane Keaton), a close friend and, also, the wife of Allan's best friend, Dick (Tony Roberts).I think "Play It Again, Sam" is easily one of the best comedies ever made, almost in the same level as the classic "Annie Hall".
If you love old movies, or great comedy, or Woody Allen and Diane Keaton in their early prime, then PLAY IT AGAIN, SAM will still deliver the goods 30+ years after its first release.
While technically not a Woody Allen film (he wrote it, based on his own Broadway play, but it was directed by Herbert Ross), it bears the mark of the Woodster during his funny, soulful early period.
Also, another weird effect of this film (and this may just be because i've watched 8 woody allen movies in two weeks) is that i've developed a crush on Diane Keaton.
The "imagined" conversations with Woody Allen's mind's eye view of Humphrey Bogart (or Rick) and the weaving of references and movie clips of the original "Casablanca", take a story that could be flat and merely a run of the mill "Tale of 2 Cities", romantic triangle clone and elevate it to brilliance.
Woody Allen is another comic genius who has been able to get away with playing essentially the same character in most of his films and still managing to come up with a fresh angle every time.
(Or, at least, almost every time).Allan Felix, Woody's character in "Play It Again, Sam" is, as anyone familiar with the great man's oeuvre will not be surprised to learn, a nervous, self-doubting, self-deprecating, angst-ridden, neurotic Jewish intellectual.
(The film makes reference to all these and other Bogart movies).Allan's two friends Dick and Linda (a married couple) try to persuade him to go out with women again, leading to a series of hilariously disastrous blind dates.
In its stress on human relationships, however, it looks forward to later, more intellectual, comedies such as "Annie Hall" and "Manhattan".As always with Woody, there is a great supply of one-liners ("I wonder if she actually had an orgasm in the two years we were married, or did she fake it that night?"), but a lot of the humour in this film is character-driven.
For all Linda's eccentricities, she is clearly a loving and lovable person, and it was the ability to play characters like this that made Keaton, although not really a classical beauty, one of the sexiest actresses of the seventies."Play It Again, Sam" may lack the philosophical depth and insight into human nature of films like "Annie Hall", "Manhattan" and "Hannah and Her Sisters", but it shares their brilliant wit and humour.
Realising it is too good a piece of work not to direct, Herbert Ross takes up the reigns, and it becomes a clever, interesting experience; to see Woody playing the fool, so bad at dating, but directed by not-Woody.He seems to be slightly freer on-screen here, as if the directing shackles have been lifted and he can concentrate on his performance, the slapstick edge makes it seem like a cross between Annie Hall and Sleeper; it's really funny, and it would make a good film for couples to watch, such is the spectacular ineptitude of Woody's characters.In short, he dates women, and a vision of Humphrey Bogart dispenses advice on how he (Bogart) would handle the situation, helping him along the way, it makes for brilliant viewing.
After meeting several girls in some hilarious gone-wrong dates, Allan falls in love with Linda and has an affair with her while Dick is on a trip.I watched this movie so many times that I know most of the lines by heart.
The sketches on the dates are brilliant; Diane Keaton is as pretty as ever and they make THE perfect couple; Casablaca's references are just delicious; what can I say, its a movie that gets you smiling for a whole week.One may wonder why Woody Allen didn't want to direct this one.
Here's looking at you kid, the number one life lesson that Allen Felix takes a bit to literally, in Woody Allen's remarkable play adaptation.Herbert Ross directs Play it again Sam, the film based on the play written and Starring Woody Allen, with Diane Keaton, Toney Roberts, and Humphrey Bogart.
A sensational funny witty classic Woody Allen piece, easy to watch and just impossible to dislike.Allan Felix is traditional Woody Allen, a neurotic divorced writer who struggles to get back in the swing of things, when his friends Linda (Keaton) and Dick (Roberts) attempt several times to set Allan up with women.
Allan is however a devoted film fan and possess a passionate love for the classic Casablanca, which leads his imaginary figment of Humphrey Bogart (Jerry Lacy) to help Allan become a stud in the game.An absolute genius as always in the art of rom com, and general Woody Alleness.
Then as events go along, Allan finds he's falling in love with Linda, and the feelings may be mutual.This film is quintessential Woody Allen, playing the neurotic persona, desperate to the point of exasperation.
Coupled this with a simple plot and references to one of the great classics of all time and the result is this wonderful, funny movie.Allen plays Allan, a movie critic crushed by his divorce.
The plot naturally evokes the triangle at the centre of "Casablanca" with the move cleverly ending up by recreating the same sacrifice also at a misty airport with Woody quoting Bogey's immortal words in exelcis.Along the way, Allen crams in loads of largely self-deprecating jokes and comedic situations, like his "1-2-3-4" chat-up line on the dance-floor, his description of his roughing up by two hoods chasing his girl and his imaginings of love-rival Tony Roberts' various reactions to the news of the affair between him Allen and his wife, Diane Keaton.The playing is delightful, Roberts, whose character would have been rendered redundant if mobile phones had been around and Keaton at her kooky best (and you should see some of her outfits too!) provide great background support to Woody's monologue.
Which showed just how little he thought of Allen as someone who can impress a woman, like Linda or anyone else, to leave him!The movie touchingly recreates the final scene in the film "Casablanca" with Allen Felix doing his best Humphrey Bogart imitation by having Linda leave him for her husband Dick whom she was going back to, if very reluctantly, anyway and forget about him with both her.
Woody Allen plays Allan Felix, a divorced film critic, who wants to get back on the dating scene.That he does with the help of his friends Dick and Linda Christie (Tony Roberts and Diane Keaton).He's also a huge fan of the movie Casablanca, so he gets some help also from Humphrey Bogart (Jerry Lacy), who comes to life in his mind.But Allan isn't very smooth with girls, in fact he gets pretty nervous around them.Play It Again, Sam (1972) is a hilarious movie, that was originally a Woody's play.He wrote this movie, too, but the directing he left for Herbert Ross.Woody does what Woody does best, which is playing a neurotic Jewish man.At its funniest the movie is when Allan is trying to be cool with the ladies, failing terribly.I couldn't stop laughing when Allan caused disaster and things got thrown out of his hands when he was with women.There is also a tragic side in this character.After all, he is a man who wants to be somebody else, someone better.Mr Allen turned 70 the first day of this month and sadly he hasn't had the same success in movie business as he used to have.Hopefully his new movie Match Point changes it all.But all the fans of Woody, the present and the future, should have some time for laughter and maybe some tears watching his masterpieces from the past..
In fact, as directed by Mr. Ross, Woody Allen responds well and makes a great appearance and contributes tremendously to the success of this film.Diane Keaton, who plays Linda Christie, shows an affinity for what would follow later as she became an invaluable collaborator of Mr. Allen.
Desperate to become a swinger he is aided by friends, Diane Keaton and Tony Roberts, and by an imaginary Humphrey Bogart (Casablanca is Felix' favourite movie)to find a new woman.
Woody Allen adapted his own hit play and stars in this modestly amusing comedy about a recently-divorced film historian in San Francisco, cartoonishly insecure around women, who is fixed up on dates by his best friends and advised on relationship matters by the spirit of Humphrey Bogart in his "Casablanca" period.
His friends Dick (Tony Roberts), a workaholic businessman, and his lovely wife Linda (Diane Keaton) talk him into dating again, setting up encounters with a string of women that Allan routinely makes a mess of.
His favourite film of all time is Casablanca (he watches it on the big screen in the opening scene with his mouth agape during that famous climax), and is occasionally visited by the ghost of Humphrey Bogart (uncannily played by Jerry Lacy).
The scene between Keaton, Allan, and the imaginary Humphrey Bogart having dinner in Alan's apartment is one of the funniest pieces of material Woody Allen has ever created.
And, of course, Keaton, in her first on-screen work with Allen, displays the chemistry that would make their pairing every bit as legendary as that of Bogart and Ingrid Bergman in CASABLANCA.Woody would go on to make other movies that are arguably better and more challenging, as well as colder and more cynical, but he would never quite recapture the sense of whimsy that makes this one of his best films..
Allan Felix (Woody Allen) is a neurotic film critic and loves Casablanca.
Play It Again Sam (1972) **** (out of 4) Hilarious film has Woody Allen struggling in the dating scene, getting advice from Humphrey Bogart and then falling in love with his best friends wife (Diane Keaton).
He's your classic Woody Allen schmuck, perpetually trapped between the musings of the mind ("What's the point of anything!?") and the lusts and longings of the body ("Why won't she love me!?").Divorced from his wife and desperate to hook up with another woman, Allen spends the film bouncing from one bungled romantic date to the next, until he realises that he's in love with a character played by Diane Keaton, wife of his best friend.
It's just time when pressure from Bogart and Allan's own growing gumption will make him take the next step.One of the most remarkable things in PLAY IT AGAIN, SAM is how it becomes the first Woody Allen story to incorporate fantasy as a part of reality in a way that doesn't seem gimmicky.
His best friends, married couple Linda (Diane Keaton) and Dick (Tony Roberts) try to introduce Allen to some eligible women but none of them really like him.