Distributor:
MRA Entertainment Certificate: M15+ |
Region 4 | 115 minutes
Available to buy Director: Sydney Pollack
Extras: No
ANYONE
IN IT WE KNOW?
Jane
Fonda, Gig Young, Susannah York, Michael Sarrazin, Red Buttons, Bonnie
Bedelia, Bruce Dern
WHAT’S
IT ABOUT THEN?
In
the depressed 1930's a group of
people enter a 6 day dance
marathon desperate to win the
$1500 first prize (at a time
when the average wage was about
$4 a week) and pushing
themselves to the brink as they
strive to stay upright.
SO
IS IT ANY GOOD?
Based
on the 1935 novel by Horace McCoy, They Shoot Horses is a tragic
classic, director Pollack using the backdrop of the dance marathon
(which really were popular back in the day) and the suffering of those
taking part to take a look at the ravaged 1930's.
For
a movie shot mostly on a single set you are never tempted to turn your
eyes away from the screen, the cast are outstanding, Gig Young as the MC
of the hall rightly won and Oscar for his role
("there
can only be one winner folks, but isn't that the American way"),
whilst Jane Fonda is superb as the down at heel Gloria who sees the
competition as a way out but ends up on the very edge of sanity, other
key players include the legendary Red Buttons as an aging contender and
Susannah York (in one her first US movies) as would be glamour girl
Alice who thinks that the competition will lead to her getting spotted
by a talent scout.
The
key scene is "The Derby" a crucial point in the dance off
where the contestants have to stay upright during a fast moving piece of
music, many of course can barely breath let alone keep time to the
music. There are some occasionally confusing flash forwards but
They Shoot Horses is a thought provoking movie. Making ample use of
metaphor the dance off could almost be seen as some kind of Dante's
Inferno vision of hell, the contestants certainly live it as the
competition drags on. A superb movie that will linger long in the
memory.
