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Play It Again Sam [1972]


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Some classic moments
Review date: 2008-06-05 Rating: 8 out of 10

This film is not my favourite Woody Allen by any chalk, but it has some priceless moments. There is certainly enough here to keep people interested if you're in the right mood, although some of it does creep towards navel gazing.

For me this is Woody Allen just about the right side of too much self regarding. Parts of it work brilliantly, so if you like his wit, or particularly relate to Humphrey Bogart, watch it.

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One of the best of the early funny ones
Review date: 2008-01-26 Rating: 10 out of 10

Although not technically a definitive Woody Allen film, given that he didn't actually direct it, Play It Again Sam is, nevertheless, very much the formation of the Woody Allen style that would develop throughout the rest of the 1970's. Here you can see definite shades of Annie Hall, Hannah and her Sisters and Manhattan starting to come to fruition, both in the writing and the story development, and also in the characterisation. This is really the best place to start for those new to Allen's particular blend of quick-witted neurosis, as he attempts to pick up the pieces of a broken marriage, and, as a result, ends up falling for the wife of his best friend. The film moves along at a great pace, with Allen managing to retain certain elements of his original play (the monologues to himself, the great one-liners...), whilst simultaneously opening the drama out, so that it works as a traditional film with a proper structure.

It's very much a dry run for Annie Hall, too... with the early pairing of Allen and Keaton working perfectly, capturing that chemistry and sense of conviction that would further develop throughout greater films like Sleeper and Love & Death. It also makes great use of a montage style of filmmaking that Woody had been developing since Take the Money and Run, with Allen's endless-stream of disastrous dates making for great comedy, as we see our bumbling hero go from one women to the next, oblivious to the fact that the real girl of his dreams is right under his nose.

The direction from Herbert Ross is nicely judged, managing to tell the story fairly well, but also remaining faithful to Allen's early directorial style of films like Bananas and Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex with those great comedy cut-aways towards the end in which Allen tries to rationalise the outcome of a possible affair by imagining himself as a well-mannered British aristocrat, a bumbling fool in an Italian neo-realist film, and the foil in a Hitchcockian thriller!!! The direction generally lacks the more interesting flourishes that Allen would develop as a filmmaker in his own right (see how the style of this film was applied to the cross-cutting, split-screens, faux-subtitles and the direct-to-camera asides of Annie Hall), whilst also neglecting the various references to European cinema that Allen always delights in. As I said before, this isn't really a problem, as it allows the bare-bones of the story to shine, and also means that it can be enjoyed by people who perhaps aren't as well versed in the Allen mythology as certain other viewers.

The film works really well as a piece of great entertainment, and is one of the funniest of the "early funny ones", with Allen's character really taking shape, building on the persona of his stand-up years, as well as his early creations for Bananas and Take the Money and Run. The supporting characters are just as great too, with Keaton perfectly capturing the sense of someone slowly falling in love with the charm and warmth of a close-friend, whilst that other soon-to-be Allen regular Tony Roberts is great as Keaton's high-flying husband (I love the running gag where his character is constantly phoning the office to let them know where they can find him). I even like the use of the Bogart manifestation as Allen's cinematic guardian angel, creating that idea of fiction entering fact (entering fiction), which would again crop up in later projects like Stardust Memories, The Purple Rose of Cairo and Deconstructing Harry.

The film is full of wonderful little details like that (not to mention a slew of great gags and set-pieces including Allen's unsuccessful attempt to pick up a manic-depressive in an art gallery!!), whilst Allen's character (here the lovelorn, loveable loser), is really one of his most endearing creations. Play It Again, Sam may not be as essential as some of his later films as director, in particular Annie Hall, The Purple Rose of Cairo and Crimes and Misdemeanours, but it is, regardless, a great piece of entertainment, and is certainly a lot of fun.

Gentle hilarity
Review date: 2007-04-14 Rating: 10 out of 10

One of Woody's best. An `homage' to Bogart and based on his own stage play. Woody's character, Alan Felix, struggles comically to cope with the break-up of his marriage, assisted by his close friends Dick and Linda Christie (Tony Roberts and Diane Keaton). They set him up on blind-dates which always end in disaster and give Woody an opportunity to display some of his best comic business. Never was a vinyl-LP flung across a room with so much accuracy or embarrassment, nor was a salad ever tossed so spontaneously ...

Tony Roberts' character would fit right in today - a stock-broker who spends all his time on the phone or at work, has to pencil his wife in for dinner and must work on financial reports while on holiday. Though intended to be an over-the-top portrayal in the 1970s, such pressure is all too real today, but the film loses nothing in spite of that. Dick's wife finds gentle diversion in trying to help Woody's character find love and of course, they find it with each other.

Many great comic lines from Allen throughout, some of which admittedly are recycled from his stand-up days, but are good nonetheless. By the end of the film, each of the three characters have found what they really want from love and the final scene between Allen and Keaton is funny, touching and upbeat.

DVD quality is excellent.




Top 5 Woody Allen
Review date: 2006-04-03 Rating: 10 out of 10

It has almost been forgotten that this film was not directed by Woody Allen - but this makes no difference it is still one of his greatest films.
We start the film with Allan Felix (Allen) watching Casablanca in the Cinema and feebly impersonating Bogart as he leaves the Cinema. The film proceeds with an imaginary Bogart advising Allan on how to deal with Women. Allan as you would expect is pretty hopeless!
This film is consistently funny with the blind date scene being one of the greatest comedy scenes ever filmed.
The script (based on Woody Allens own stage play) is full of great dialog, as you would expect.
Diane Keaton is wonderful in her role, and Tony Roberts is very funny in his supporting role as the business man who leaves a telephone number so he can be contacted everywhere he goes.
"I'll be at 362-9296 for a while; then I'll be at 648-0024 for about fifteen minutes; then I'll be at 752-0420; and then I'll be home, at 621-4598"
Remember this film was made more than a decade before mobile phones even existed in brick form.
The film finishes with a great recreation of the end of Casablanca.
If you don't like Woody Allen then you probably won't like this. However, if you have any appreciation of Woody and haven't seen this, you should buy this DVD now.

Bags of Fun
Review date: 2002-12-13 Rating: 8 out of 10

This film sees Woody Allen's first on-screen encounter with a very young and incredibly attractive Diane Keaton, who stars in several of his later films. The two work very well together on screen, and as a confirmed Woody Allen fan (you either love him or hate him) I can happily say that this is the most consistently amusing picture in his catalogue. I must have seen this movie 20 times, and I still find myself hooting with laughter. I can't think of any other films that have the same effect with the possible exception of Dark Star.

Lovers of 'The Office' (comedy TV series) will appreciate much of the humour as Allen trips from one cringing ordeal to another in the search of true love after his wife leaves him 'to ski down a mountain laughing like an idiot'.

The picture quality is very good considering the age of the film, though sound is only in mono format. The only real disappointment is the lack of special features. Strongly recommended.

Product Details/Specifications


Actor(s):
Diane Keaton
Woody Allen
Tony Roberts
Viva
Susan Anspach

Creators:
Woody Allen (Primary Contributor)
Viva (Primary Contributor)

Director(s):

Recording label: Paramount Home Entertainment
Manufacturer: Paramount Home Entertainment
EAN: 5014437820839
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 1
Format: PAL,
Release date: 2002-11-18
Audience rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
Region code: 2
Running time: 82 minutes
Theatrical release date: 1972
Language: English (Original Language)

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