California Split (1974)

User Rating:

7.0/10   

Director:

Robert Altman

Writer:

Joseph Walsh (written by)

Release Date:

7 August 1974 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

California Split ... being the story of two bet-on-anything guys who happily discover something called a "winning streak."

Plot:

A down on his luck gambler (George Seagal) links up with free spirit Elliot Gould at first to have some fun on...

Plot Keywords:

Poker | Casino | Los Angeles California | Roulette | Magazine

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

George Segal	...	Bill Denny
Elliott Gould	...	Charlie Waters
Ann Prentiss	...	Barbara Miller
Gwen Welles	...	Susan Peters
Edward Walsh	...	Lew
Joseph Walsh	...	Sparkie
Bert Remsen	...	Helen Brown
Barbara London	...	Lady on the Bus
Barbara Ruick	...	Reno Barmaid
Jay Fletcher	...	Robber
Jeff Goldblum	...	Lloyd Harris
Barbara Colby	...	Receptionist
Vincent Palmieri	...	First Bartender (as Vince Palmieri)
Alyce Passman	...	Go-Go Girl
Joanne Strauss	...	Mother

Also Known As:

Jackpot!
Slide (USA) (original script title)
Brincando com a Sorte (Portugal) [pt]
California Split (Denmark) [da]
California poker (Italy) [it]
Full pott (Finland: Swedish title) [sv]
Jogando Com a Sorte (Brazil) [pt]
Kalifornijski poker (Poland) [pl]
Les flambeurs (France) [fr]
Spisek kalifornijski (Poland) [pl]
Täyskäsi (Finland) [fi]
Zaria, poker kai... kati allo! (Greece) [el]

Runtime:

108 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Canada:14+ (Ontario) | Finland:K-16 | Norway:15 | Sweden:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Reno, Nevada, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

First non-Cinerama movie to use eight-channel recording of dialog on the set.

Goofs:

Continuity: Some of the balls hanging from Charlie's sombrero keep changing position throughout the scene.

Quotes:

Bill Denny: Goddamnit, lady, you don't throw oranges on an escalator!

Movie Connections:

References The Cincinnati Kid (1965)

Peak Altman

Altman at the absolute top of his form--which is to say among the freest, loosest and sensorily densest great movies ever made in America. Visually and sonically thick as a brick, it also represents some of the highest-flying improvisatory acting you've ever seen. Put the Godard of the early sixties in a polyester shirt, lay him down among the rummies and compulsive cases of the American gambling subculture, and fill him with equal parts beer and caffeine, and you have some idea of this thoroughly amazing, free-and-easy comedy, which has a scary undertow: the scene where George Segal tries to persuade co-addict Elliott Gould of the hollowness of the big win might be the most scarily desolate in any Altman picture.