Play it Again, Sam (1972)

Play It Again, Sam marked the first time that Diane Keaton appeared on film with Woody Allen. As such, it's an important film, marking the first of several collaborations between the two (only Mia Farrow has appeared more often), a collaboration which has produced some of Allen's finest films (Annie Hall, Sleeper, Love and Death, Manhattan). The film itself is adapted from Allen's own stage play of the same name, with both Tony Roberts and Diane Keaton reprising their theatrical roles on film. Allan Felix (Allen) is a neurotic film critic who longs to be as suave and sophisticated as his idol, Humphrey Bogart. The story revolves around a married couple, Dick and Linda Christie (Roberts and Keaton), and their relationship with the neurotic mess that is Allan. They often feel sorry for him, and want him to be happy, so they try and set him up with various women they know. Many laughs soon ensue as Allen, often taking advice from Bogart himself (played with frightening accuracy by Jerry Lacy), tries in vain to seduce and romance these women.

Eventually, Allan realizes he is in love with Linda, and this immediately complicates things - as he is such good friends with both her and her husband. The remaining half of the film explores this delicate situation (a love triangle obviously similar to Casablanca's Bogart, Bergman, and Henfried, if you're paying attention) and the movie ends in a fashion more than just a bit reminiscent of Casablanca's final scenes.

There are plenty of scenes and moments in Play It Again, Sam which are able to balance out its sometimes weak script. Allen was not yet above falling down in a scene for a cheap laugh, and his physical comedy in Sam right up there with his work in Sleeper (released in the same year). If you're a fan of Allen's earlier work, defintely check this film out, and even if you didn't like Bananas or Sleeper, there is still enough "intelligent" comedy in this film to keep you more than entertained.

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