framptonhollis
It is sort of important to note that, although this movie stars and was written (and based on a play) by Woody Allen, he did not direct it. However, I could not have guessed that unless I was told, because this movie, even within in its direction, has Allen all over it, and is often labeled as a "Woody Allen movie" rather than a "Herbert Ross movie" (although Ross has directed other famous romantic comedies like "The Goodbye Girl" and "California Suite"). Anyway, I found "Play It again, Sam" to be a pretty awesome little movie. It's not among the greatest of Allen's films, but it still is really great. The characters are likable and the story is highly engaging and entertaining. The film has many of the classic Woody Allen trademarks utilized to their finest effect; there is plenty of witty dialogue, movie reference, and comedic fantasies sprinkled all throughout this charming love story. It is sort of a "standard" vintage Woody Allen movie, but a "standard Woody Allen movie" is far and away superior to a "standard movie". Allen is a comic genius, and this early film of his shines due to its ability to expose the light of an otherwise slightly melancholy and dramatic overall story.
jc-osms
I much prefer Woody Allen's early films for the simple reason that they make. Seriously, before he seriously became serious, this guy wrote great jokes, a gift I sometimes think he took for granted before he started imitating Bergman and strove for integrity. This one's a hoot, even if it is adapted from his own play and was directed by Herbert Ross and not himself.The idea that Woody's gormless Alan character escapes his emotional crises by consulting his screen hero Bogart is brilliant and is expanded still further when he also dreams up his absent ex-wife to contradict Bogey's positive stroking. 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. Herbert Ross' direction I found swung from between conventional romantic-comedy to quirky flights of fancy sometimes too incongruously at times but nonetheless he keeps things light and fast- moving. And a special word too for Alan Lacy in the thankless task of recreating Bogart, a job he handles with relish and the necessary attention to detail. While some of the attitudes displayed to women are somewhat Neanderthal, plus there is one distastefully unfunny exchange between Allen and Keaton on the "hilarious" subject of rape, this funny Woody Allen has many other memorable one-liners and plenty of laugh- out-loud funny scenes. How I wish he still made them like that!
paudie
I watched this movie shortly after watching "Annie Hall" and I enjoyed it a bit more than the more celebrated later movie. Maybe that says more about my taste than the quality of the respective movies! Some of the comedy in "Play it Again Sam" is a lot broader than Allen's later movies but he also deals with the themes of relationship difficulties and infidelity that became a staple of his work later in the 70's and in the 80's.Allen does not direct the movie, though it is based on a stage play of his. The story is about three close friends. A married couple played by Tony Roberts and Diane Keaton and their recently divorced friend, played by Allen. Roberts' character is always busy with work and the other two spend a lot of time together and gradually realise that they have feelings for each other. The twist is that Allen's character, a film buff, occasionally gets relationship advice when Humphrey Bogart appears to him.There are plenty of really funny scenes, such as when Allen finally tells Keaton how he feels about her. The ending is also very satisfying. As usual some of Allen's writing is brilliant.A must for anyone who wants to see Allen's best work.
tieman64
"I wonder if she actually had an orgasm in the two years we were married, or did she fake it that night?" - Woody Allen One of Woody Allen's best films precisely because it is directed not by Woody, a visually inept director who thinks verbally more than visually, but by Herbert Ross, a director who lends some pace, style, movement and energy to Allen's charming and funny screenplay, "Play It Again Sam" also marks the point at which Allen's films moved away from broad, Marx-brothers inspired comedy, to more introspective, supposedly "serious" territory.The film stars Woody Allen as Allan Fellix, a morose, neurotic, whiny, inhibited, nerdy, angsty, articulate, cynical, wormy, socially and sexually maladjusted loser. 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. Much of the film references Humphrey Bogart's "Casablanca", Allen's meek and dysfunctional brand of masculinity, compared with Bogey's suave, debonair demeanour. Poor Allen just wants to be a hero like his on screen idol, a chance which the film sets up in its "Casablanca" inspired climax, only to swiftly undermine. He'll always be a loser. But this reassures us, as the all pervasive sense of failure Woody brings to almost everything he does makes even the smallest victory, and every morsel of hope, both a triumph and inspiration.The film was seen as being fresh and unbridled in the early 70s, loosening up and destroying what many had previously thought of as "romantic comedies". The tone is breezy, the style somewhat experimental (as most of Allen's films are) and the script wild and devil-may-care, though filled with wit and observation. Much of the humour is improvised, and on several occasions Ross' camera catches the unscripted cracking-up of characters as they laugh at Woody's unexpected, improvised antics.Yes, today "Sam's" overall plot may be regarded as formulaic, Allen's brand of humour having long found its way into countless movies and TV sitcoms, but the jokes still hold up. Virtually every minute is packed with humour, wit, clever one liners and both smart and silly jokes. Like most of Allen's films during this period, he essentially mingles old school farce and physical comedy, with high brow humour, silliness, Camus/Sartre inspired existentialism and Kierkegaardian Absurdism.This sweet spot in Woody's career would end with "Interiors", when he began drifting away from his stand-up roots and began doing rifts on art-house directors. In this regard, his "Interiors" becomes a rift on Bergman's "Cries and Whispers", his "Midsummer Night's Sex Comedy" becomes a farcical version of Bergman's "Smiles of a Summer Night" whilst "Wild Strawberries" becomes Allen's "Another Woman". Meanwhile, Fellini's "8 1/2" becomes "Stardust Memories", "Amarcord" becomes "Radio Days" and Fellini's section in "Boccaccio 70" becomes Allen's short in "New York Stories".Most of Allen's scripts have some clever, experimental meta-construction. Here every character is an observer, looking in on Allen and sharing their observations. Allen himself plays himself looking and commenting on himself as Allan Fellix.All the film's female characters are air-heads, except Keaton, who plays a neurotic woman with a low self esteem; ie- easy prey for the equally maladjusted Allen.8.9/10 - Worth two viewings.
