direct by herbert ross and play it again and sam ( 1972 ) be woody allen film from the beginning to the final credit . allen write the screenplay base on his broadway play and he star a allan and a neurotic movie buff who write the film review ( what else . ) . allan not just love movie while he live in the movie world and constantly take advice on how to get the girl from the legendary hero of his all time favorite movie casablanca and humphrey bogart rick . i be not a fan of casablanca at all but if my favorite artist be so much in love with it and maybe i should give it another try . when allan wife nancy leave him and his best friend dick ( tony robert ) and his lovely wife linda ( diane keaton ) try to fix him up with several eligible pretty young lady . very typically for woody character and he be a total failure with them . the only woman he feel comfortable with and he share the same insecurity and neurosis and the one whose birthday he remember and who he desperately want be linda and his best friend wife . play it again and sam be a remarkable movie for several reason and one of them it be the beginning of a wonderful working ( and not only ) relationship between allen and keaton that would result in the movie banana ( 1971 ) and sleeper ( 1973 ) and love and death ( 1975 ) and annie hall ( 1977 ) and interior ( 1978 ) and manhattan ( 1979 ) and radio day ( 1987 ) and and manhattan murder mystery ( 1993 ) and will bring them both well deserve fame and oscar . make 34 year ago and play it again and sam hold up very well and i would call it my favorite earlier woody film and the best woody film that he have not direct . positive .