Play It as It Lays_
"Maria's life was a search for the ultimate answer even after she found there was none."
Burned-out B-movie actress Maria, depressed and frustrated with her loveless marriage to an ambitious film director, Carter Lang, who would rather work on his career than on his relationship with her, numbs herself with drugs and sex with strangers. Only her friendship with a sensitive gay movie producer, B.Z., offers a semblance of solace. But even that relationship proves to be fleeting amidst the empty decadence of Hollywood.
Starring
Tuesday Weld, Anthony Perkins, Adam Roarke
Updated Feb 16, 2026
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Year context
Play It as It Lays was released 54 years ago in 1972.
Overview
Burned-out B-movie actress Maria, depressed and frustrated with her loveless marriage to an ambitious film director, Carter Lang, who would rather work on hi...
Play It as It Lays is a Drama film with a runtime of 1h 39m.
CAST (20)
Tuesday Weld
Maria Wyeth Lang
Anthony Perkins
B.Z.
Adam Roarke
Carter Lang
Tammy Grimes
Helene
Ruth Ford
Carlotta
Eddie Firestone
Benny Austin
Diana Ewing
Susannah
Paul Lambert
Larry Kulik
Chuck McCann
Abortionist's Assistant
Severn Darden
Hypnotist
Tony Young
Johnny Waters
Richard Anderson
Les Goodwin
Tyne Daly
Journalist
Norman Foster
Abortionist
EC
Elizabeth Claman
The Chickie
Mitzi Hoag
Patsy
Roger Ewing
Nelson
DR
Dick Ryal
Apartment Manager
John Finnegan
Frank
TM
Tracy Morgan
Jeanelle
BOX OFFICE
$1.0M
Budget
DETAILS
Release
Status
Released
Runtime
99 min (1h 39m)
Country
Rating
5.9/10 (21 votes)
Budget
$1,000,000
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is Play It as It Lays about?
Burned-out B-movie actress Maria, depressed and frustrated with her loveless marriage to an ambitious film director, Carter Lang, who would rather work on his career than on his relationship with her, numbs herself with drugs and sex with strangers. Only her friendship with a sensitive gay movie producer, B.Z., offers a semblance of solace. But even that relationship proves to be fleeting amidst the empty decadence of Hollywood.
How long is Play It as It Lays?
Play It as It Lays has a runtime of 99 minutes (1h 39m).
Who stars in Play It as It Lays?
The cast of Play It as It Lays includes Tuesday Weld, Anthony Perkins, Adam Roarke, Tammy Grimes, Ruth Ford.
What is the rating of Play It as It Lays?
Play It as It Lays has a rating of 5.9 out of 10 based on 21 votes on TMDB.
GENRES (1)
Drama