California Split
1974 · Movie · R · 108 min · ★ 6.6 · 85% critics
A freewheeling gambler and a more downbeat new friend fall into a restless run of cards, racetracks, bars, and casinos while chasing a life-changing score. Their lucky streaks and bad breaks turn the ride into a sharp look at friendship, compulsion, and the emptiness behind the thrill.
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Details
- Years
- 1974
- Release date
- 1974-08-07
- Language
- English
- Rated
- R
- Runtime
- 108 min
- Critic score
- 85/100
- TMDB rating
- 6.6/10 (140 votes)
About
You may like this if you enjoy shaggy, character-first 1970s dramedies with messy charm, bittersweet humor, and a lived-in feel, especially if you like M*A*S*H or The Last Detail; Not for you if you want a tight plot.
Pros: authentic gambling atmosphere; sharp buddy chemistry; funny and sad tone | Cons: loose plot; abrupt ending; lots of overlapping chatter
Themes
- friendship
- casino
- poker
- gambling
- fight
- gambling debt
- roulette
- broken nose
- stripper
- racetrack
- craps
Cast & crew
George Segal
as Bill Denny
Elliott Gould
as Charlie Waters
Ann Prentiss
as Barbara Miller
Gwen Welles
as Susan Peters
Edward Walsh
as Lew
Joseph Walsh
as Sparkie
Bert Remsen
as Helen Brown
- BL
Barbara London
as Lady on the Bus
Barbara Ruick
as Reno Barmaid
Jay Fletcher
as Robber
Directed by Robert Altman