They Shoot Horses, Don't They?

Rating:
Summary: An Awful Movie
Review: They Shoot Horses, Don't They? is an awful film. It is about as interesting as watching water boil. It is also unhistorical in that the 1930's are depicted as a time of prosperity even though in real life that was the decade of the Great Depression.

There is no real depth to the plot. Nor is there anything exceptional about either the direction, photography or the soundtrack. Jane Fonda is badly miscast in this role and she delivers her lines poorly. None of the performances in this movie are especially good.

In sum, this is a movie to avoid.

Rating:
Summary: An Awful Movie
Review: They Shoot Horses, Don't They? is an awful film. It is about as interesting as watching water boil. It is also unhistorical in that the 1930's are depicted as a time of prosperity even though in real life that was the decade of the Great Depression.

There is no real depth to the plot. Nor is there anything exceptional about either the direction, photography or the soundtrack. Jane Fonda is badly miscast in this role and she delivers her lines poorly. None of the performances in this movie are especially good.

In sum, this is a movie to avoid.

Rating:
Summary: "The Dance of Destiny Continues"
Review: This film is a unique experience. It is a tale set during the Great Depression in the setting of a Dance Marathon where hope and perseverence are seemingly the only factors driving the contestants. Eventually, after days and days, the contestants rise up and plod on more out of a sense of habit and expected exhaustion. Near the end of the story it matters very little who will win but rather who is still dancing. Each couple pushes themselves to the brink of collapse...and beyond. This is a truly fascinating tale about living on through the worst of times even though the best of times is nowhere in sight. As for the acting there are many standout performances, my particular favorites being Jane Fonda and Gig Young. Jane Fonda plays a character cast in iron (in fact, she and her dance partner are sponsored at one point and forced to where jackets advertising "Jonathan's Iron Tonic"), but as she progresses through the competition she slowly begins to break down. Piece by piece is thrown aside; her staunchly moral character at the beginning of the story gradually unravels until she is an empty shell, devoid of hopeful emotions. Gig Young's performance is no less mesmerizing as the Master of Ceremonies selling suffering to the spectators at two bits a head. But just when you think you've pegged the villain of the story he shows that he too is a lost soul trapped on the "merry-go-round" of life and conveys compassion and understanding to those most in need. His performance garnered him a well-deserved Oscar for Best Supporting Actor. The actual filmmaking is edgy and spectacular. With all the dancers struggling to stay upright during a portion of the Dance Marathon called the "Derby" the background music is light-hearted and frollicking while the contestants are gasping for breath, stumbling in pain, all for the sake of entertainment. They are dancing and racing toward a cash prize, but their anguish is on display for all who pay to see it. There are also some flash-forward scenes that are effectively shot on sound stages, with all the surrounding echo in the chamber as the main character speaks, adding to the reflective quality of his remembrance. This film is crammed with many brilliant scenes that make it a remarkable experience to behold. Highly recommended. "The Marathon goes on and on and on."

Rating:
Summary: One of the Most Stunning Cinematic Achievments Ever
Review: To me Pollack & company perfectly realized Horace McCoy's saturnine vision. This is the most relentless, hard-knuckled, diabolically-paced piece of filmmaking ever. There is not a dishonest moment in the movie. It's also the greatest example of ensemble acting I've ever seen on screen as well. Everyone involved in the production gave every ounce of themselves and it shows. It may have finished off Gig Young. His portrayal of the "Yowzer, Yowzering" MC is the most cynical, world-weary characterization ever expressed on celluloid. It doesn't surprise me that he checked out in real life shortly after winning an Oscar for his supporting role. Jane Fonda gives the performance of her life as Gloria. She would have won an Oscar here if she hadn't recently received one for Klute. There's no use in singling out anyone else, though Suzannah York truly deserved her Oscar as well. Everyone in this movie deserved an Oscar. I would have given one to the second-grip, if there were an award for that.

The soundtrack is absolutely first-rate. I owned it on vinyl, but can't find it on CD unfortunately. If anyone out there is aware of a CD release, would you please send me mail? I've never known another soundtrack that served as such perfect accompaniment to the action on screen. Sometimes it served as a great vehicle for irony (as if this film needed any more of that!). The second "Derby" sequence is a great case-in-point. As The Sailor (Red Buttons) is literally expiring from exhaustion, the band is playing "By the Sea, By the Sea, By the Beautiful Sea." The dancehall is situated on a pier above the Pacific. The metaphors come fast and furious in this movie. It rewards repeated viewings. McCoy's novel is pretty good too, along the lines of Nathaniel West's Day of the Locust.

For $14, you can't make a better investment if you are any kind of film buff or just want a good kick in the emotional keister. Not for the sentimental type. About as fierce and unflinching a look into the depths of the human spirit as you are likely to come across. One of the finest movies ever.

Rating:
Summary: An important film
Review: To the "one-star" viewer who said the movie was historically inaccurate, where did you get the impression that it depicts the depression era as a "time of great prosperity"? Did you see the movie? And to the other "one-star" viewer who said we could go ahead and rate his review as "unhelpful", well yeah. You said you couldn't "pinpoint" why the movie was bad. To others, whose interest in film extends past 1990, They Shoot Horses, Don't They? is very fine film.

Rating:
Summary: Brilliant film, disappointing DVD!
Review: Unfortunately, MGM downgrades the DVD re-release of "They Shoot Horses, Don't They?" with a non-anamorphic transfer, no commentary and extras, and no Dolby Digital 5.1 track (As I recall, the former Anchor Bay release contained a stereo surround track, the MGM release is only in mono). "They Shoot Horses, Don't They?" was an Academy Award winning film that certainly deserves the Special Edition treatment.