Based on The Seventh:

The Split
(1969)

Movie:
Depiction of Parker:

Parker played by:  Jim Brown

Name in film:  McClain

Directed by Gordon Flemyng

Written by Robert Sabaroff

An All-Star Cast!

Oscar Winner Ernest Borgnine
Two time Oscar Winner Gene Hackman
Oscar Nominee Diahann Carroll
Oscar Nominee Julie Harris
Oscar Nominee James Whitmore
And fightin' & lovin' machine Jim Brown
combine their amazing talents to create a movie for the ages...

Ah, The Split.  The Split totally lacks the dark spirit of the Stark novels, instead choosing to be an action movie shoot-'em-up that is incredibly low on brain power.  The film is ridiculous from start to finish.  

Parker (actually McClain in this installment) recruits a team to rob a Los Angeles Rams game by putting them through surprise tests.  He gets into an awe-inspiring fight with Ernest Borgnine where they both fly around the room quite a bit.  They rob the stadium in a manner quite similar to the book, but then the money vanishes and everyone blames Parker.

The Split is fairly close to the novel in terms of plot elements, at least by Parker adaptation standards.  However, the emphasis is on the stadium heist, which is only a small part of the book.  Everything else, which comprises two thirds to three quarters of the novel, is crammed in at the end of the movie.

Interestingly, The Split has a couple of scenes that would indicate that the screenplay writer has read more than one Parker novel.  Parker buys guns at a toy shop, very similar to the hobby shop where he considers buying guns in The Outfit.  Motel owner Gladys is perhaps inspired by Madge, from The Split and others.  Parker returning to his wife is reminiscent of The Hunter, and the man who sells the hot cars to the gang may be inspired by Chemy from the novels.  While some of these are undoubtedly coincidence, a couple look genuinely inspired by the novels, especially the toy shop scene.    

I am also very pleased to note that while the heist is occurring, the Green Bay Packers are beating the Los Angeles Rams.

 Availability:  The Split has never been released on video.  Turner stations (TNT, SuperStation) occasionally play it.  I will note on the site whenever it airs.

Other cast members:

Ellie--Diahann Carroll
Bert Clinger--Ernest Borgnine
Gladys [Madge?]--Julie Harris
Detective Lieut. Walter Brille [Detective Dougherty]--Gene Hackman
Harry Kifka [Dan Kifka]--Jack Klugman
Marty Gough--Warren Oates
Herb Sutro--James Whitmore
Dave Negli [Bob Negli]--Donald Sutherland

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