They Shoot Horses, Don't They? (1969)

The lives of a disparate group of contestants intertwine in an inhumanely grueling dance marathon.

Director:

Sydney Pollack

Writers:

Horace McCoy (novel), James Poe (screenplay)

Stars:

Jane Fonda, Michael Sarrazin, Susannah York

Won 1 Oscar. Another 9 wins & 23 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jane Fonda	...	Gloria
Michael Sarrazin	...	Robert
Susannah York	...	Alice
Gig Young	...	Rocky
Red Buttons	...	Sailor
Bonnie Bedelia	...	Ruby
Michael Conrad	...	Rollo
Bruce Dern	...	James
Al Lewis	...	Turkey
Robert Fields	...	Joel
Severn Darden	...	Cecil
Allyn Ann McLerie	...	Shirl
Madge Kennedy	...	Mrs. Laydon
Jacquelyn Hyde	...	Jackie
Felice Orlandi	...	Mario

Storyline

Gloria is a young woman of the Depression. She has aged beyond her years and feels her life is hopeless, having been cheated and betrayed many times in her past. While recovering from a suicide attempt, she gets the idea from a movie magazine to head for Hollywood to make it as an actress. Robert is a desperate Hollywood citizen trying to become a director, never doubting he'll make it. Robert and Gloria meet and decide to enter a dance marathon, one of the crazes of the 1930's. The grueling dancing takes its toll on Gloria's already weakened spirit, and she tells Robert that she'd be better off dead, that her life is hopeless - all the while acting cruelly and bitterly, alienating those around her, trying to convince him to shoot her and put her out of her misery. After all, they shoot horses, don't they?

---

Plot Keywords:

dance | marathon | contest | dance marathon | hollywood | 

---

Taglines:

People are the ultimate spectacle

---

Genres:

Drama

---

Certificate:

M

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

10 September 1970 (West Germany)

Also Known As:

El baile interminable

Filming Locations:

Santa Monica Pier, Santa Monica, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

American Broadcasting Company (ABC), Palomar Pictures (I)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

129 min (original) 120 min (current)

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo

Color:

Black and White Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Two of the couples are sponsored by Winkler's Travel Agency and Sills Collection Agency. Irwin Winkler and Theodore B. Sills are among the producers of the film.

---

Goofs

When Sailor (Red Buttons) is passed out, two referees take his pants off him to dunk him into a tub of ice water; Buttons lifts up his hips so they can easily remove his pants.

---

Quotes

Nurse: Can I get you something for your feet?
Gloria Beatty: How about a saw.

---

Connections

Referenced in California Dreams: They Shoot Videos, Don't They? (1992)

---

Soundtracks

Sweet Sue, Just You
(1928) (uncredited)
Music by Victor Young
Played at the Dance Marathon

User Reviews

A memorable, tragic story with roots in reality

"They Shoot Horses, Don't They?" is such a fascinating film that it made worthwhile a little research into the dance marathon craze of the 1920s and early 1930s. According to the DVD extra, the set was modeled on the old Aragon Ballroom, built in the 1920s on the Lick Pier at Santa Monica, California. The once-elegant ballroom had grown seedy by the early 1950s, at which time it enjoyed a brief revival as the location of early Lawrence Welk show broadcasts. In the 1960s, the Aragon was again revamped under a different name as a short-lived rock concert venue - with appearances by Alice Cooper (is his pre-Cooper days) and Jim Morrison of the Doors. It was destroyed by fire shortly afterward.

Marathon dancing was, according to most historians, as brutal and exploitive as it is depicted in "Horses." It was for that reason that this early 20th century variety of Roman coliseum culture was banned in much of the country by the late 1930s.

This movie uses fictitious characters to tell a story that appears to be remarkably accurate from a historical point of view. Jane Fonda's ultra-cynical, sharp-tongued character, Gloria, along with ruthless manager/promoter Rocky (played by Gig Young), contrast perfectly with the eerily-resigned and unpretentious Robert (Michael Serrazin). The casting and dialogue are brilliant. The visual effects are haunting.

This film is not for everyone. But for those interested in the social pathology that allows human suffering to become a form of amusement, the malicious ill-treatment of the poor, or the harsh realities of the depression era, this is multifaceted cinema that can be watched again and again, each time yielding new subtleties. It is a morbidly fascinating character study that reflects a truly desperate time.

For those watching on DVD, it is advisable to see the short background feature before the movie in order to fully appreciate its context. The movie is unforgettable, a true classic.