Review of Play It Again, Charlie Brown

Play it Again, Charlie Brown focuses not really all that much on Charlie Brown. Rather Schroeder and Lucy Van Pelt are more the main characters. Most of the movie is devoted to Lucy's vain attemps at catching Schroeder's attention (as Lucy does.) Although a common gag in the comics and specials, I don't know that we really need that much of it to establish the drama when it comes. There are other scenes in between this of course. For example one notable instance when Lucy goes to get advice from her own psychiatric stand (where Snoopy is dispensing the advice) and another scene where Frieda joins Lucy on Schroeder's piano (only for Schroeder to get rid of them after they say something stupid. The arc of the story arrives around the 16 minute mark (in a 24 minute movie) when Lucy tells Peppermint Patty than she can sign Schroeder up to play at the upcoming PTA meeting. Except it all goes south when it turns out that he can only play jazz or rock. Charlie Brown, Snoopy, and Pigpen put together a combo of drums, guitar, and cello to salvage hopes of Schroeder playing. But when Schroeder learns he can't play his beloved Ludwig van Beethoven he (predictably) backs out. For some reason the combo backs out too (even though they would have been perfectly fine without him) and Lucy saves it at the last second by utilizing Beethoven in a can (or PTA in a can) or something like that. The biggest problem with the film is the fact that it didn't need to be this long. It almost seems as though it was stretched to include other examples of the old Lucy on Schroeder's piano gag. And as a result, it can seem a little stale. I still recommend checking it out, just be aware that this one's not up to usual Peanuts standards.