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IMDb > Play It As It Lays (1972)

Play It As It Lays (1972) More at IMDbPro »


Overview

User Rating:
6.1/10   169 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 4% in popularity this week. See rank & trends on IMDbPro.
Director:
Frank Perry
Writers:
Joan Didion (novel)
Joan Didion (screenplay)
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Contact:
View company contact information for Play It As It Lays on IMDbPro.
Genre:
Drama more
Tagline:
Maria's life was a search for the ultimate answer even after she found there was none.
Plot:
A Hollywood actress undergoes a psychic breakdown and recalls the traumatic events which led to her stay at a sanitarium. full summary | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
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Awards:
Nominated for Golden Globe. more
User Comments:
Puzzling lack of respect for this gem more

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Tuesday Weld ... Maria Wyeth Lang

Anthony Perkins ... B.Z.
Tammy Grimes ... Helene
Adam Roarke ... Carter
Ruth Ford ... Carlotta
Eddie Firestone ... Benny Austin
Diana Ewing ... Susannah
Paul Lambert ... Larry Kulik
Norman Foster ... Abortionist
Chuck McCann ... Abortionist's Assistant
Severn Darden ... Hypnotist
Tony Young ... Johnny Waters

Richard Anderson ... Les Goodwin
Elizabeth Claman ... The Chickie
Mitzi Hoag ... Patsy
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Additional Details

Runtime:
99 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Color:
Color (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono (Westrex Recording System)
Certification:
UK:X | USA:R
Filming Locations:
Las Vegas, Nevada, USA more

Fun Stuff

Movie Connections:
Referenced in Ellie Parker (2005) more

FAQ

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10 out of 12 people found the following comment useful:-
Puzzling lack of respect for this gem, 5 December 2003
Author: Chandler from Los Angeles

The movie Play It as It Lays is, admittedly, not everyone's cup of tea. Even the book--as much as I liked it--was a hard sell to friends and family; most, especially those living outside the Southern California forcefield, simply could not grasp the essential Los Angeles flavor of Didion's dry economical language. The language of the Industry is spot-on (for a change) as are the depictions of the unusual alliances and estrangements of the characters in the film. One person I know who hated the film complained that it was too "faggy" and not like the real Hollywood at all (this person lives in Tucson); the B.Z. and Maria relationship at the heart of this movie may seem bizarre and pointless to auslanders, but it certainly reminded me of real life in LA circa 1972. Also of note is Tammy Grimes' performance as B.Z.'s wife--she got so many of the good lines ("Oh God my face--I can really see a difference"; "in what?"; "skipping my Lazslo for one day.") This movie should be available in VHS/DVD; does anyone know why it's been ignored? I'd love to know.

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Related Links

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