They Shoot Horses, Don't They? (1969)
During the Great Depression, participating in dance marathons was a very popular activity. Couples would enter and dance nonstop for hours, days, weeks, or months, and audiences would flock to watch and cheer on their favorite team. The winning couple would receive some prize money, and in the meantime, the contestants would be fed and sheltered for as long as they endured. If you’ve never heard of this, or you’re not up on your 1930s history, you might want to read up on the horrors of the Great Depression before renting They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?
If you don’t really understand how desperate and hopeless these dance contestants felt, you might not be able to appreciate Robert E. Thompson’s and James Poe’s screenplay. The characters in the film act like condemned gladiators who will do anything to entertain the crowd before getting thrown into the lion’s den. They stay on their feet no matter the cost, whether it’s their health or dignity. They sleep while dancing, leaning on their partners, and one woman enters the contest while pregnant because she has no other prospects.
They Shoot Horses, Don’t They? is incredibly bleak. There are no happy parts to the story; this isn’t a two-sided view of the famous walkathons of the Great Depression. The camera captures the up close and personal horrors the contestants experience, backstage and in front of the audience cheering in the stands. The audience is shown cheering when horrible things happen to the dancers; they treat them like animals in a horse race. Sydney Pollack directed the movie, and while it would have been easy to film it in a sensational, flashy manner, he chose a bleak approach. The colors are muted and dusty against the cheery façade of the event, and the sweaty and haggard faces show through the performance makeup.
There’s a phrase I commonly use while sitting on the Board of Directors of the Hot Toasty Rag Awards: “What does it take?” Maggie Smith was lovely as the titular character in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie. She was alluring and confident. But when you see Jane Fonda dragging her dance partner’s body across the floor, exhausted, in pain, scared, and unable to believe her life has been reduced to such a circus, you can’t help but shake your head at Smith’s Oscar. Fonda cries, “I’m tired of losing!” but at the Rags, her line wasn’t applicable. We were very happy to send Fonda, York, and Pollack home with Rag Awards for their fantastic work.
Kiddy warning: Obviously, you have control over your own children. However, due to some upsetting content, I wouldn't let my kids watch this movie.
Want to watch it? Click here to watch it on ok.ru. And thanks "Classic Cinema Central Seleus B" for posting!
More Jane Fonda movies here!
More Susannah York movies here!
Be sure to check out Hot Toasty Rag's review of Horace McCoy's original novel here!
If you don’t really understand how desperate and hopeless these dance contestants felt, you might not be able to appreciate Robert E. Thompson’s and James Poe’s screenplay. The characters in the film act like condemned gladiators who will do anything to entertain the crowd before getting thrown into the lion’s den. They stay on their feet no matter the cost, whether it’s their health or dignity. They sleep while dancing, leaning on their partners, and one woman enters the contest while pregnant because she has no other prospects.
They Shoot Horses, Don’t They? is incredibly bleak. There are no happy parts to the story; this isn’t a two-sided view of the famous walkathons of the Great Depression. The camera captures the up close and personal horrors the contestants experience, backstage and in front of the audience cheering in the stands. The audience is shown cheering when horrible things happen to the dancers; they treat them like animals in a horse race. Sydney Pollack directed the movie, and while it would have been easy to film it in a sensational, flashy manner, he chose a bleak approach. The colors are muted and dusty against the cheery façade of the event, and the sweaty and haggard faces show through the performance makeup.
There’s a phrase I commonly use while sitting on the Board of Directors of the Hot Toasty Rag Awards: “What does it take?” Maggie Smith was lovely as the titular character in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie. She was alluring and confident. But when you see Jane Fonda dragging her dance partner’s body across the floor, exhausted, in pain, scared, and unable to believe her life has been reduced to such a circus, you can’t help but shake your head at Smith’s Oscar. Fonda cries, “I’m tired of losing!” but at the Rags, her line wasn’t applicable. We were very happy to send Fonda, York, and Pollack home with Rag Awards for their fantastic work.
Kiddy warning: Obviously, you have control over your own children. However, due to some upsetting content, I wouldn't let my kids watch this movie.
Want to watch it? Click here to watch it on ok.ru. And thanks "Classic Cinema Central Seleus B" for posting!
More Jane Fonda movies here!
More Susannah York movies here!
Be sure to check out Hot Toasty Rag's review of Horace McCoy's original novel here!
Hot Toasty Rag Awards:
Best Director of 1969: Sydney Pollack
Best Actress: Jane Fonda
Best Supporting Actress: Susannah York
Hot Toasty Rag Nominations:
Best Picture
Best Actor: Gig Young
Best Dramatic Screenplay