Play It Again, Sam (1972)

Genre


Director


Country


Cast

Woody Allen, Diane Keaton, Tony Roberts, Susan Anspach, Jerry Lacy, Jennifer Salt, Joy Bang, Viva, Susanne Zenor, Diana Davila, Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman

Plot

In San Francisco, neurotic, and awkward film critic Allan Felix (Woody Allen) tries to get over his wife leaving him by dating again, much by the help of a married couple and the fantasy ghost of his film idol, Humphrey Bogart (Jerry Lacy).


Opinion

If you haven't seen Casablanca yet, but you are planning on watching it, I highly recommend to watch that one first, because this film not only contains footage from the classic, and numerous references which would be lost on someone who hasn't seen the film, but also reveals the ending of Casablanca in the very first scene.

Having said that, Play It Again, Sam is one of the best romantic comedies by Allen, probably second only to Annie Hall.

Brilliantly written by Woody Allen, the film is so hilarious, at some points it is difficult to breath, and definitely contains Woody Allen's humour. The plot is essentially a comical version of Casablanca, and the continuous parallels with the 1942 classic are masterful. Also, it is a fantastic character study with annoying still likable characters.

To be honest, I would have loved a Woody Allen direction in this one, but Herbert Ross did a good job in with Allen's fantastic screenplay.

The acting is great. Woody Allen well portrays clumsy Allan Felix, Diane Keaton gives a great performance and her character is quite believable, and the chemistry between the two of them is outstanding. Tony Roberts is very underrated, and Jerry Lacy is very funny as Bogart.


Quotes

Allan: That's quite a lovely Jackson Pollock, isn't it?
Museum Girl: Yes, it is.
Allan: What does it say to you?
Museum Girl: It restates the negativeness of the universe. The hideous lonely emptiness of existence. Nothingness. The predicament of Man forced to live in a barren, Godless eternity like a tiny flame flickering in an immense void with nothing but waste, horror and degradation, forming a useless bleak straitjacket in a black absurd cosmos.
Allan: What are you doing Saturday night?
Museum Girl: Committing suicide.
Allan: What about Friday night?

Allan: I love the rain - it washes memories off the sidewalk of life.

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