THEY SHOOT HORSES DON’T THEY?
Director: Sydney Pollack Run Time: 120 min. Release Year: 1969
Starring: Gig Young, Jane Fonda, Michael Sarrazin, Red Buttons, Susannah York
Screen legend Jane Fonda (Coming Home) stars in this vivid, fascinating film as a woman driven to seize her last best chance during the very worst of times. A brilliant achievement by director Sydney Pollack (The Scalphunters), They Shoot Horses, Don’t They? is a stunning period piece recognized as one of the most highly acclaimed films of its time. In Depression-era America, desperation spawned a bizarre fad: the dance marathon where couples competed to stay on their feet for thousands of hours, and audiences flocked to watch. But Gloria (Fonda) doesn’t think of herself as a spectacle. She is a fierce, unforgiving contestant in a battle she’s determined to win. At stake is much more than the $1,500 prize; the event is her only hope for dignity, accomplishment and salvation. The stellar cast includes Michael Sarrazin (The Reincarnation of Peter Proud), Susannah York (The Killing of Sister George), Gig Young (Five Miles to Midnight), Red Buttons (The Poseidon Adventure), Bonnie Bedelia (Die Hard), Bruce Dern (The Laughing Policeman), Michael Conrad (Monte Walsh) and Al Lewis (The Munsters). Nominated for nine Academy Awards including Best Actress (Fonda), Supporting Actress (York), Director (Pollack), Screenplay (James Poe, Robert E. Thompson) and winner of Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Young)