The Split (1968)

Director:

Gordon Flemyng

Writers:

Donald E. Westlake (novel)
Robert Sabaroff (screenplay)

Release Date:

4 November 1968 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama

Tagline:

"Crime is our business."

Plot:

Thieves fall out when over a half million dollars goes missing after the daring and carefully planned...

Plot Keywords:

Football Game | Coliseum | Los Angeles | Detective | Hostage

Cast

Jim Brown	...	McClain
Diahann Carroll	...	Ellen 'Ellie' Kennedy
Ernest Borgnine	...	Bert Clinger
Julie Harris	...	Gladys
Gene Hackman	...	Detective Lt. Walter Brill
Jack Klugman	...	Harry Kifka
Warren Oates	...	Marty Gough
James Whitmore	...	Herb Sutro
Donald Sutherland	...	Dave Negli
Joyce Jameson	...	Jenifer
Harry Hickox	...	Detective
Jackie Joseph	...	Jackie
Warren Vanders	...	Mason

Also Known As:

Bullen - Wie lange wollt ihr leben? (West Germany) [de]
Die ganz große Kasse (West Germany) [de]
El reparto (Spain) [es]
För helvete, Mac! (Sweden) [sv]
I sei della grande rapina (Italy) [it]
Le crime, c'est notre business (France) [fr]
Razdor (Serbia) [sr]
Saalis (Finland) [fi]

Runtime:

USA:91 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

West Germany:18 | Finland:K-16 | Norway:16 | Sweden:15 | USA:Approved | USA:R

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

This film was the very first theatrical release to receive an R rating from the then-new MPAA's film rating system.

Quotes:

Dave Negli: Listen, Marty, the last man I killed I did it for $5000. For $85,000 I'd kill you 17 times.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Jim Brown: All American (2002) (TV)

Soundtrack:

It's Just A Game, Love

If You Like Heist Films, You'll Love The Split

Great little heist number starring some of the finest actors ever to grace the silver screen. Jim Brown made only few films between his most famous outing, The Dirty Dozen, and his biggest claim to fame, the Blaxploitation films of the 1970s. The Split may well be the best of those, though ...tick...tick...tick... with George Kennedy would be a close second. Here, Brown turns in one of his best performances as McClain, a down on his luck career criminal looking to make a big score.

Jim Brown teams with two of his Dirty Dozen cohorts, Ernest Borgnine and Donald Sutherland, as well as Jack Klugman, Warren Oates and Gene Hackman. All give fine performances as do the film's leading ladies, Julie Harris and Diahann Carroll. Warren Oates is terrific here in one of his early roles. When compared to his later work, this shows just how versatile and actor he was. Gene Hackman is also excellent as Brille, a role which foreshadows the work he would do later in The French Connection. Keep an eye out for veteran character actor James Whitmore in a small but pivotal role as Diahann Carroll's creepy landlord.

Tight direction by Gordon Flemyng, interesting cinematography by Burnett Guffey, wonderful music by Quincy Jones, an effectively clever story and script by Richard Stark and Robert Sabaroff. The Split has a lot going for it. If you liked Peckinpah's The Getaway and Don Siegel's Charley Varrick, chances are you'll like The Split.

Highly recommended.