Short answer: The line as popularly quoted, “Play it again, Sam,” never appears in that exact form in Casablanca. The closest dialogue is Ilsa saying, “Play it once, Sam. For old times’ sake,” followed by Sam hesitating, and later Ilsa saying, “Play it, Sam. Play ‘As Time Goes By.’”
Details
- In Casablanca (1942), the actual exchange is Ilsa: “Play it once, Sam. For old times’ sake.” Sam: “I don’t know what you mean, Miss Ilsa.” Ilsa: “Play it, Sam. Play ‘As Time Goes By.’” This sequence is the source of the misquotation that evolved into “Play it again, Sam.”
- The misquoted line became widely repeated in popular culture, and later works (a Woody Allen play and film titled “Play It Again, Sam”) further popularized the incorrect phrasing. However, authoritative script sources and film trivia consistently note that the exact line “Play it again, Sam” does not occur in Casablanca.
- For context, multiple sources discuss the origin and correct phrasing, and some discuss that the misquotation persists in common discourse despite not being spoken verbatim in the film. BBC and other references highlight this as a famous misquote.
If you’d like, I can provide concise quotes from the dialogue or explore how this misquote spread in popular culture, with citations.
