The misquoted line 'Play it again, Sam' (the actual quote is 'Play it, Sam. Play As Time Goes By') is the emotional anchor of 'Casablanca.' The instrument in question is a small, upright piano used by Dooley Wilson's character, Sam. In reality, Wilson was a professional drummer and didn't know how to play the piano; he mimicked the hand movements while a pianist named Elliot Carpenter played off-screen. The piano itself became a legend of cinema history, characterized by its slightly tinny, bar-room sound that fit the atmosphere of Rick's Café Américain. In 2014, the actual prop piano sold at auction for over $3.4 million. This instrument represents the intersection of memory and regret, serving as the physical catalyst for Rick (Humphrey Bogart) to confront his past love, Ilsa, in one of the most quoted films ever made.