California Split

Robert Altman's bleakly funny 1974 buddy comedy pairs George Segal and Elliott Gould as Bill and Charlie, two gamblers who form a bond in pursuit of a winning streak. As with M*A*S*H, McCabe & Mrs. Miller, and Nashville, this film immerses viewers in an intimately observed community while serving up some memorable set pieces (such as Charlie's revenge against a gambler who viciously mugged him, and the duo's beer and Fruit Loops breakfast with two heart-of-gold hookers--Ann Prentiss and the late Gwen Welles), but for the most part, California Split just shambles along in an engagingly laidback fashion. Altman's encouragement of improvisation pays off in a classic bit in which Bill bets Charlie he can't name all Seven Dwarfs ("there was no Snoopy"), but his signature overlapping dialogue may drive less patient viewers to distraction. DVD extras on this sharp-looking disc include a winning audio commentary by Altman, Segal, Gould, and co-screenwriter Joseph Walsh. A welcome entry from the "New Hollywood" '70s--a bygone era when directorial mavericks revitalized American cinema--this is recommended. (D. Liebenson)