Play It Again, Sam (1972)

Play It Again, Sam
Directed by Herbert Ross
Written by Woody Allen from his play
1972/USA
IMDb page
Repeat viewing/Amazon Prime rental

Dick: [On the phone] Let me tell you where you can reach me, George. 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. Yeah, right George, bye-bye. (Dick needed a cell phone)

He didn’t direct it but he did create it and this film would pave the way for Annie Hall and other romcoms in Woody Allen’s future.

Allen Felix (Allen) is a film critic.  He is obsessed with Casablanca and Humphrey Bogart. His wife (Susan Anspach) is not feeling it and dumps him.  Best friends Dick (Tony Roberts) and Linda (Diane Keaton) try to set him up with new ladies.  But although in constant communication with Bogart (Jerry Lacey), Allen messes up every date and romantic advance.

What Allen doesn’t suspect for a while, is that Linda is feeling neglected by Dick and has a real soft spot for him.  Will this be a romance for the ages?

Well, it was a real treat to watch this again.  It’s plenty funny and sometimes farcical but also has a genuine heart to it.  Keaton probably had something to do with that.  The film stands up all these years later.  Recommended.