PLAY IT AGAIN, SAM
A film review by Ted Prigge
Copyright 1997 Ted Prigge
Director: Herbert Ross Writer: Woody Allen (based on his play) Starring: Woody Allen, Diane Keaton, Tony Roberts, Jerry Lacy
Okay, I admit it. I've tried to flirt with girls using movie cliches. There I said it. Does it work? Kinda, sometimes. But I'm an insecure neurotic, and I think they really aren't gonna dig me if I be myself. Now that my self-analyzation is done, I will say that Woody Allen's play "Play it Again, Sam" features a protgonist who's probably more insecure than I am (or anyone else really) or loves movies and thinks that his role model for being a "swinger" should be Humphrey Bogart. And much of the film has the protagonist chatting with a figmented Bogart, with the latter giving the former advice like, "I never knew a woman who didn't understand a slap in the face or a slug form a .45," or "Somewheres in life you got turned around; Its her job to smell good for you."
Woody didn't direct this wonderfully engaging romantic comedy, as many believe. Verstatile director, Herbert Ross, who can direct neurotic comedies like this and "The Goodbye Girl" and still do fluff like "Footloose" and "Steel Magnolias" did, and he somehow manages to get the right feel for it, even if it takes place in Woody's vision of the 10th ring of Dante's Hell - California (San Francisco to be exact). And this is the first time we ever see Diane and Woody together as a comic duo on celluloid (although I think they did it on Broadway together). And Tony Roberts is also on for the first time with Woody as (GASP!) his best friend.
The plot centers around Allan (the Woodster), who has just broken up with his wife, Nancy (Susan Anspatch). He's incredily depressed and he's a major hypochondriac ("I'm turning into an aspirin junkie. Soon I'll be burning the cotton at the top to get the extra"). He's also a film geek (making us look good) who writes for a film magazine. In the beginning, the film shows the final scene of "Casablanca," then pulls back to show Allan watching in literal awe with his mouth wide open at the greatness of the film. Once the film's over, he leaves and his voice-over narration tells us the exposition (which I have already done for you, thank you very much).
His best friend, Dick (Tony), and his wife, Linda (Diane), come over to help him but he just can't get over his wife leaving him. They somehow manage to get him to try to move on by setting him up on dates. The first one is a comical disaster, with him overdoing everything and being so nervous that he ends up breaking records, lamps and knocking down chairs and what-not in his messy apartment. His second one, with a famed nymphomaniac, ends tragically (and ironically) when he tries to take advantage of her.
Meanwhile, he becomes closer to Linda as Dick is a workaholic and is always leaving his number at his office wherever he goes (in a running gag). And before we know it, Dick has gone off on a business trip and Allan and Linda realize they are in love...or at least temporary/sorta love. They sleep together and plan to live together and all, but he realizes he would be hurting a friend...and that he is in "Casablanca." In one of the funniest scenes of the whole 70s as a decade, Allan gives Linda the "Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow..." speech from the finale of "Casablanca" (Linda even dons the Ingrid Bergman hat as she leaves her apartment to chase after Dick). In the end, Allan has moved on and realized to be himself.
It would be fluff, but it is handled so hysterially that it has been given the title of "classic." This film came right in the middle of his slapstick period, so that may be the reason why Woody didn't direct it. But his writing is perfectly on and his knack for creating comical situations and realistically funny characters is also as good as his later material. This is one of his most perfectly realized films, even if he didn't direct it, and also one of my favorites.
MY RATING (out of 5): *****
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