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showtimesofficial sitesmiscellaneousphotographssound clipsvideo clipsThey Shoot Horses, Don't They? (1969) More at IMDbPro »
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Overview
User Rating:
Director:
Writers:
Horace McCoy (novel)
James Poe (screenplay) ...
more
Release Date:
10 September 1970 (West Germany) more
Tagline:
People are the ultimate spectacle
Plot:
The lives of a disparate group of contestants intertwine in an inhumanely grueling dance marathon. full summary | add synopsis
Awards:
Won Oscar. Another 6 wins & 20 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(4 articles)
Sydney Pollack Dies at 73
(From IMDb News. 27 May 2008, 4:12 AM, PDT)
Red Buttons Dead at 87
(From WENN. 14 July 2006)
User Comments:
YOWZA! YOWZA! YOWZA! more (72 total)
Cast
(Cast overview, first billed only)| Jane Fonda | ... | Gloria | |
| Michael Sarrazin | ... | Robert | |
| Susannah York | ... | Alice | |
| Gig Young | ... | Rocky | |
| Red Buttons | ... | Sailor | |
| Bonnie Bedelia | ... | Ruby | |
| Michael Conrad | ... | Rollo | |
| Bruce Dern | ... | James | |
| Al Lewis | ... | Turkey | |
| Robert Fields | ... | Joel | |
| Severn Darden | ... | Cecil | |
| Allyn Ann McLerie | ... | Shirl | |
| Madge Kennedy | ... | Mrs. Laydon | |
| Jacquelyn Hyde | ... | Jackie | |
| Felice Orlandi | ... | Mario |
Additional Details
Parents Guide:
Runtime:
129 min (original version) | USA:120 min (current version)
Country:
Language:
Color:
Aspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Certification:
Iceland:12 | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | UK:15 | USA:M (original rating) | USA:PG-13 | West Germany:12 | Singapore:PG
Filming Locations:
Company:
Fun Stuff
Trivia:
Holds the record for the movie with the most Academy Award nominations without a nomination for Best Picture: 9. more
Goofs:
Anachronisms: Robert tells Gloria about a film he saw starring Anita Louise and Richard Cromwell in which Anita Louise's character has a brain tumor. However, Louise and Cromwell only made two films together, The Most Precious Thing in Life (1934) and The Villain Still Pursued Her (1940). The depression-era dance marathon, which is the subject of the film, presumably takes place in 1932. Earlier in the movie, we hear Mrs. Layton tell Robert and Gloria that they are her favorite couple because they are number 67, the same year that she was born (1867). Shortly thereafter, Gloria tells Robert that she's figured out Mrs. Layton is 65-years-old. Sixty-five years after 1867 is 1932, which is prior to either of the Louise/Cromwell films. more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in "ER: They Treat Horses, Don't They? (#5.3)" (1998) more
Soundtrack:
Caisson Song (The Caissons Go Rolling Along) more
FAQ
Location of shootmore
more (72 total)
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This is one of the best movies I have ever seen. Set in the 1930s, it revoleved around a group of people entering/running a depression dance marathon. The group entering the contest(The principle characters being Fonda, Sarrazin, York, Buttons, Bedilia, Fields)Can't pass up the seven meals a day, or the top prize of 1500 dollars, no matter how grueling the dance will be. Fonda, is a drifter looking for money, Sarrazin wanders into the contest by accident, York and Fields are an actor and actress hoping to be "Discovered", and Buttons is also looking for money. The management of the contest is represented by Young, Lewis, and (To a lesser extent)Conrad. While this is not a "Pick me up" movie, it is definitely worth seeing. The cast is excellent, and the movie moves along well. Director Sydney Pollack filmed the movie in sequence, which helps to show the fatigue that the characters are feeling. They Shoot horses was nominated for nine academy awards, inglinging Best actress(Fonda), Best Supporting Actress(York) and Best Director(Pollack).
However, only Gig Young walked away with the statuette(For best Supporting Actor) and he deserved every inch of it. Playing against typecasting, he knew he was getting the role of a lifetime and he gives one of the best performance of his career. I actually liked Rocky, with his White Tux and his "Yowza!Yowza!Yowza!" I don't know if I would have liked the character if Gig Young had not been in the role.
Overall, this movie is definitely worth seeing. If you have a chance, give it a look.
10/10 ***** out of *****