They Shoot Horses, Don't They? (1969)
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A disparate group of individuals compete in a grueling Depression-era dance marathon for a cash prize while being manipulated by an opportunistic emcee.
The story
During the Great Depression, a homeless man named Robert Syverton wanders into a dance marathon held in a shabby ballroom on the Santa Monica Pier. Couples are competing for a $1,500 cash prize, hoping to be noticed by Hollywood celebrities and talent scouts. Robert is recruited by the contest's promoter, Rocky Gravo, to partner with Gloria Beatty, a bitter young woman whose previous partner was disqualified. As the marathon progresses, the weaker pairs are eliminated quickly. Rocky observes the vulnerabilities of the remaining contestants and exploits them for the audience's amusement, while the arena uses quack doctors to cover up the physical and mental damage to the participants.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Robert Syverton, a homeless man, recalls a childhood memory of a horse being shot before wandering into a dance marathon on the Santa Monica Pier. He is paired with Gloria Beatty by the promoter, Rocky Gravo. The competition is grueling; Rocky eliminates weaker pairs and exploits the contestants' vulnerabilities for entertainment. Various pairs, including a retired sailor, an aspiring actress, and an impoverished farmer, face extreme physical and mental strain. Rocky stages derbies and uses quack doctors to hide the participants' suffering. Eventually, Robert ends up pairing with Alice LeBlanc, while Gloria takes other partners. Rocky suggests Robert and Gloria marry for publicity, but when Gloria refuses, he reveals that expenses will be deducted from the prize, leaving them with nothing. Disheartened, they withdraw. On the pier, a despondent Gloria points a gun at her head and begs Robert to shoot her. He complies, and police arrive. Robert tells the police she asked him to do it, remarking, 'They shoot horses, don't they?' while the marathon continues for over 1,491 hours.
- First release year
- 1969
- Runtime (minutes)
- 120
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Sydney Pollack
- Writers
- Robert E. Thompson · screenplay; James Poe · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- Jane Fonda · Gloria Beatty; Michael Sarrazin · Robert Syverton; Susannah York · Alice LeBlanc; Gig Young · Rocky Gravo; Bonnie Bedelia · Ruby; Red Buttons
- Genres
- psychological drama
- Themes
- Depression-era struggles; Human nature; Exploitation; Despair; Futility
- Tone and mood
- Glum; Cathartic; Disturbing; Epic
- Setting
- A shabby ballroom on the Santa Monica Pier during the Great Depression.
- Premise and plot tags
- Dance competition; Depression era; Publicity stunt; Drama
- Source material / true-story basis
- Horace McCoy's 1935 novel
- Reception
- The film was a box office success and received critical acclaim for its direction, screenplay, and performances, particularly for its portrayal of the Depression era.
- Awards and nominations
- Best Supporting Actor · Academy Awards · Win; Best Director · Academy Awards · Nomination; Best Actress · Academy Awards · Nomination; Best Supporting Actress · Academy Awards · Nomination; Best Adapted Screenplay · Academy Awards · Nomination
- Production trivia
- It holds the record for obtaining the most Oscar nominations without receiving one for Best Picture.; The video for Sophie Ellis Bextor’s 2001 hit single Murder on the Dancefloor was inspired by the film.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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