Comedy,Drama
United States of America
California Split is a 1974 American comedy-drama film directed by Robert Altman and starring Elliott Gould and George Segal as two friends exploring the world of gambling. Charlie Waters (Gould) is a carefree, charismatic gambler who lives with two prostitutes, Barbara and Susan. He spends his days and nights in card rooms and race tracks, chasing the big score and enjoying the company of his two roommates.
One day, Charlie meets Bill Denny (Segal), a more pragmatic gambler who works as a magazine writer and is struggling to pay alimony to his ex-wife. Despite their different personalities, Charlie and Bill become fast friends and embark on a gambling spree that takes them from Las Vegas to Reno.
Along the way, they encounter a colorful cast of characters, including a bookie named Sparkie (Joseph Walsh) and a washed-up gambler named Helen Brown (Ann Prentiss), who inadvertently becomes Bill's love interest. While Charlie and Bill have some lucky moments, they also experience serious setbacks, including losing all their winnings in a single night.
Despite the ups and downs, Charlie and Bill continue to gamble, driven by their love of the game. They eventually split up, with Charlie heading back to Los Angeles and Bill staying behind in Reno with Helen. The film ends on a bittersweet note, with Charlie contemplating his next move and the fleeting nature of his hedonistic lifestyle.
California Split was praised for its realistic portrayal of the gambling subculture, as well as its strong performances by Gould and Segal. It was also notable for Altman's use of improvisation and overlapping dialogue, which gave the film a naturalistic feel. Today, it is considered a classic of 1970s cinema and a seminal work in Altman's career.
