| Play It Again, Sam | |
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original movie poster |
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| Directed by | Herbert Ross |
| Produced by | Arthur P. Jacobs |
| Screenplay by | Woody Allen |
| Based on | play by Woody Allen |
| Starring |
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| Studio | APJAC Productions |
| Distributed by | Paramount Pictures |
| Release date(s) | May 4, 1972 |
| Running time | 85 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Play It Again, Sam is a 1972 film written by and starring Woody Allen, based on his Broadway play. The film was directed by Herbert Ross, which is unusual, as Allen usually directs all his own written work.
The film is about a man obsessed with the movie "Casablanca" and the character of Rick, played by Humphrey Bogart. The film is liberally spread with clips from the movie and ghost-like appearances of Rick giving advice on how to treat women.
The film is set in San Francisco but most scenes are indoors.
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The film starts with the closing scenes of Casablanca, with Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman. We then see that it is the main character, Allan Felix, who 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 belittled his sexual adequacy.
The original play and the movie follow the same lines: Allan Felix (played by Allen) has just been through a messy divorce. His two friends, Linda (Diane Keaton) and Dick (Tony Roberts), attempt to convince him to go out with women again, setting him up with a series of blind dates, which all turn out to be unsuitable. He agrees, and 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.
As the film goes on we see that, when it comes to women, Allan puts on a mask. 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 don 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 makes an awkward move. Linda runs off but returns, realising that Allan loves her. "As Time Goes By" plays as they kiss, with flashes from Casablanca.
However, as she is married to Dick, their relationship is ultimately doomed, just as it was for Rick (Bogart) and Ilsa (Ingrid Bergman) in the 1942 film, Casablanca.
Dick comes home early from Cleveland and confides in Allan that he thinks Linda is having an affair. He does not work out that it is Allan, but expresses his love for Linda to him.
The ending is a parody of Casablanca's famous ending. Dick is catching a flight to Cleveland, Linda is chasing after him, and Allan is chasing after Linda. The fog, the aircraft engine start-ups, the trenchcoats worn 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 staying behind with Allan.
Allan says "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 she says. "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.
Allan, is allegedly 29 years old. He writes for a film magazine, Film Weekly. He is neurotic, and as interested in antidepressants as in Bogart; a trait shared by Linda (as Dick quips "the two of you should get married and move into a hospital"). His favourite artist is Vincent Van Gogh.
Dick is a businessman, dealing in real estate. Each time we see him he calls into his office to give a phone number of how to contact him and for how long, and then the next contact number. He is portrayed as obsessed with work.
Linda is a gentle soul with much in common with Allan, who accepts her husband's lack of attention. She has the same sense of humour as Allan and feels sorry for him. She tells him to just "be himself" as that is who she likes. She wears a hat in most scenes including the disco. When Allan gives her a gift of a plastic skunk on the beach one day she clearly appreciates it because it is from him.
Nancy, Allan's ex-wife, is a free spirit, constantly criticising Allan. She was married to Allan for two years. When he at one point he meets her in an antique shop she is not the ogre he remembers.
The film is liberally spread with references to or appearances of specific products:
Allan has numerous film posters bedecking his walls. Notably the following are evident:
Allan suggests going to the Erich von Stroheim festival with one of his dates.
The choice of the name "Allan" clearly refers to Woody Allen's real name: Allen Stewart Konigsberg.
Amongst Allan's memorabilia on his wall is a Frank Zappa handbill: "The World's Greatest Sinner".
The Oscar Peterson track which Allan puts on (and scratches) is specifically composed by Peterson for the film and is entitled "Blues for Allan Felix".
Originally entitled Aspirins for Three.
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