They Shoot Horses, Don't They?

They Shoot Horses, Don't They? is a 1969 American drama film directed by Sydney Pollack and starring Jane Fonda, Gig Young, Michael Sarrazin, Susannah York, and Red Buttons. The film is based on the 1935 novel of the same name by Horace McCoy, which was inspired by the Dance Marathon fad of the 1920s and 1930s, popularized by events such as the National Dance Marathon held at the Madison Square Garden in New York City. The story takes place during the Great Depression, a time of great economic hardship in the United States, and explores themes of poverty, desperation, and the American Dream, as seen in the works of authors like John Steinbeck and Ernest Hemingway. The film features a talented ensemble cast, including Bonnie Bedelia, Michael Conrad, and Bruce Dern, and was produced by Irwin Winkler and Robert Chartoff, who also produced films like Rocky and Raging Bull.

● Plot

The film tells the story of a group of contestants who participate in a dance marathon held at a seaside amusement park in California, owned by Rockefeller Center-like entrepreneur Harry Kline. The contestants, including Gloria Beatty (played by Jane Fonda), Robert Syverton (played by Michael Sarrazin), and Alice LeBlanc (played by Susannah York), are desperate to win the grand prize of $1,500, which is sponsored by companies like Coca-Cola and General Motors. As the contest progresses, the contestants are subjected to physical and emotional exhaustion, and the competition becomes increasingly fierce, with some contestants forming alliances with others, like Gloria Swanson and Rudolph Valentino. The film's plot is reminiscent of other classic Hollywood films, such as The Treasure of the Sierra Madre and The Grapes of Wrath, which also explore themes of survival and the human condition.

● Characters

The film features a diverse cast of characters, each with their own unique backstory and motivation for participating in the dance marathon. Gloria Beatty is a cynical and world-weary contestant who has been disappointed by the American Dream, as seen in the works of authors like F. Scott Fitzgerald and Theodore Dreiser. Robert Syverton is a young and idealistic contestant who sees the dance marathon as a way to escape his poverty-stricken life, similar to the characters in John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath. Alice LeBlanc is a fragile and vulnerable contestant who is desperate to win the grand prize to support her family, much like the characters in Ernest Hemingway's A Farewell to Arms. The characters are well-developed and complex, with each one bringing their own unique perspective to the story, as seen in the works of William Faulkner and Tennessee Williams.

● Production

The film was produced by Irwin Winkler and Robert Chartoff, who also produced films like Rocky and Raging Bull. The screenplay was written by James Poe and Robert E. Thompson, based on the novel of the same name by Horace McCoy. The film was directed by Sydney Pollack, who also directed films like Tootsie and Out of Africa. The cinematography was handled by Philip H. Lathrop, who also worked on films like The Pink Panther and The Party. The film's score was composed by Johnny Green, who also worked on films like West Side Story and The Way We Were, and was recorded at Capitol Records.

● Reception

The film received widespread critical acclaim upon its release, with many praising its thought-provoking and emotionally charged portrayal of the Great Depression era. The film was nominated for nine Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actress for Jane Fonda. The film won one Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for Gig Young. The film has since become a classic of American cinema, and is widely regarded as one of the greatest films of all time, along with films like Citizen Kane and The Godfather. The film has been selected for preservation in the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress, and has been named as one of the greatest films of all time by Roger Ebert and Martin Scorsese.

● Themes

The film explores a number of themes, including poverty, desperation, and the American Dream. The film critiques the excesses of capitalism and the exploitation of the poor by the wealthy, as seen in the works of authors like Karl Marx and Thorstein Veblen. The film also explores the psychological effects of trauma and stress on the human psyche, as seen in the works of Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung. The film's themes are timeless and universal, and continue to resonate with audiences today, as seen in films like The Pursuit of Happyness and The Social Network. The film's exploration of the human condition is reminiscent of other classic Hollywood films, such as The Wizard of Oz and It's a Wonderful Life.

● Adaptations

The film is based on the novel of the same name by Horace McCoy, which was published in 1935. The novel was inspired by the Dance Marathon fad of the 1920s and 1930s, and explores themes of poverty, desperation, and the American Dream. The film adaptation was written by James Poe and Robert E. Thompson, and was directed by Sydney Pollack. The film has since been adapted into a stage play and a television movie, and continues to be widely studied and admired today, along with other classic American literature works like The Great Gatsby and To Kill a Mockingbird. The film's influence can be seen in other works, such as The Hunger Games and Battle Royale, which also explore themes of survival and the human condition.

Category:American films