Skip to main content

They Shoot Horses, Don't They? (1969)

I'll be honest with you: I'm not a movie person. I have trouble sitting still. I'm impatient. I'm constantly looking at the time, or picking up a book, or doing something else while the movie plays. So a movie that actually captures my attention is pretty rare.

"They Shoot Horses, Don't They?" is Sydney Pollack's 1969 film adaptation of the 1935 novel written by Horace McCoy. It takes place in the 1930s, during the American depression, when people were desperate and willing to do anything for money, such as marathon dancing. Marathon dancing was one of the seedier money-making schemes in the '30s, and that is vividly shown in the film: people would eat, sleep, and even die while in a state of constant movement. The film depicts all of this, as well as the concept of the "derby" - vicious high-paced races around the dance floor - in a stunning, grotesque manner.

The film focuses on a varied group of people desperate to win the dance marathon and the corrupt emcee who urges them on. Robert (Michael Sarrazin), a dreamer, is recruited to dance at the last moment and is intermittantly shown to be at the center of some unnamed crime. His dance partner is Gloria (a young Jane Fonda), a woman who masks her depression and emptiness with a cynical veneer of nastiness. Other characters include Rocky (Gig Young), the emcee; Harry (Red Buttons), a sailor; and Alice (Susannah York), a hopeful actress. They all need the prize money - $1500, virtually worthless by today's standards - to survive, to become happy. Here's a spoiler: in the end, we are all animals, aren't we?

This is a vicious film, not meant for the weak at heart. At turns it's gruesome, disgusting, cruel, and horrifying. A pregnant, homeless, penniless woman and her husband vie for the money; the sight of the woman grasping her stomach is horrible. Alice's breakdown is heartwrenching. And the ending made my gut drop.

And it all really happened. It's a reality TV show, well before they had televisions. It is honestly one of the most powerful films I have ever seen. I don't regret watching it - but I don't think I could watch it again. I watched this film two weeks ago and I've had trouble writing about it because I haven't been able to find the words to describe it. I can't recommend this film highly enough.

Comments

  1. well you sold me on this one. ill track down a copy.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Good! It really is a great movie. It was $13 on Amazon just a couple of weeks ago, and it's also available on a few torrent sites.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Give JR a Break

Recently, I've been reading some sites that have criticized James Roday, the lead actor on the USA show PSYCH for an apparent weight gain. But you know what? Who gives a flying fizzle stick if James Roday is slightly larger than he was 4 years ago. Apparently, it wasn't enough to scare away his current girlfriend/ co-star Maggie Lawson. (Who is one hell of a Catch!) And NO they are not engaged. That seems to be nothing more than a rumor, but there is a very high chance of it happening in the near future. Anyway, as long as PSYCH continues to entertain I don't mind about James Roday's waist. He, and Dule Hill, and Corbin Bernson too, can eat all the fried broccoli they want. The last episode of PSYCH wasn't so smashing, but I don't blame it on dietary issues. QATFYG: Are you keeping up with Psych? And who is hotter, James Roday or Maggie Lawson? (Trick Question but idk why) PS: If you have heard any more news on Roday and Lawson becoming Roday-Lawson, send it

An Open Letter to the Actress: Milena Govich

Dear Milena Govich, Hey, how are you? What is up? Well, I assume you might get 5-7 fan letters a week, but I hope the glitter on my envelope stood out to you. In all seriousness, I have not been the most loyal fan of your filmography, but in the opening credits of the 2006 show, “Conviction,” I got to see you in your underwear. Ever since then, I have been one of your most active online stalkers (not a crime in all states I think). In the next letter, I promise to include an underwear photo for you, so we'll be even. Milena, I remember even back to the days when you worked on one of those other 200 Dick Wolf projects you did...what was the name of that show? “Law and Order.” Yes, that was it. You made history as playing the first female lead detective on the “Law and Order” original franchise for your role as Detective Cassidy. However, I will have to note your performance was strongly tainted when Chevy Chase guest-starred and gave you the nickname, “Detective Sugar-Tits.” At leas

No Time to Fuck: The Goldfrapp Essay

Konnichiwa! This is Irina Cummings and I'm here to discuss one of the most brilliant, innovative, and creative artists in the entire history of mankind: Goldfrapp – or as I like to call them , GODfrapp – the fantastique, highly inspirational, and sometimes criminally overlooked electronic music duo from London consisting of Alison Goldfrapp and Will Gregory, whose godly music has certainly influenced the vast majority of today's synthpop ladies, including Lady Gaga, Little Boots, La Roux, Annie and Florence + the Machine (not electro but still worth your while). They're primarily known for their mind-blowing music (which have spanned pretty much every style of electronic music – and some non-electronic as well), their abstract, sexually ambiguous – at times forthright – lyrics which are often not gender- specific , and their elaborate shows, not to mention the amazing visual aesthetics of their work, conjuring images that masterly complement