IMDb > They Shoot Horses, Don't They? (1969)
They Shoot Horses, Don't They?
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They Shoot Horses, Don't They? (1969) More at IMDbPro »

Videos (see all 2)
They Shoot Horses, Don't They? (1969) -- The lives of a disparate group of contestants intertwine in an inhumanely grueling dance marathon.
They Shoot Horses, Don't They? (1969) -- Sinematurk - Trailer (Flash)

Overview

User Rating:
7.9/10   5,501 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 1% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Sydney Pollack
Writers:
Horace McCoy (novel)
James Poe (screenplay) ...
(more)
Contact:
View company contact information for They Shoot Horses, Don't They? on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
10 September 1970 (West Germany) more
Genre:
Drama 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
Plot Keywords:
more
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:
A great classic more (73 total)

Cast

  (in credits order) (verified as complete)

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
Art Metrano ... Max (as Arthur Metrano)
Gail Billings ... Lillian
Lynn Willis ... Coley James
Maxine Greene ... Agnes
Mary Gregory ... Nurse
Robert Dunlap ... College Boy
Paul Mantee ... Jiggs
Tim Herbert ... Doctor
Tom McFadden ... Second Trainer
Noble 'Kid' Chissel ... First Trainer (as Noble 'Kid' Chissell)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:

Ian Abercrombie ... Male Dancer #74 (uncredited)
Hugh Bell ... Band Member (uncredited)
Ronnie Bright ... Band Member (uncredited)
Teddy Buckner ... Band Member (uncredited)
Hadley Calliman ... Band Member (uncredited)
Teddy Edwards ... Band Member (uncredited)
Thurman Green ... Band Member (uncredited)
Joe Harris ... Band Member (uncredited)

Marilyn Hassett ... Dancer #75 (uncredited)
Bobby Hutcherson ... Band Leader (uncredited)
Ike Isaacs ... Band Member (uncredited)
Peggy Adams Laird ... Dancer (uncredited)
Harold Land ... Band Member (uncredited)
Philo McCullough ... Audience Extra (uncredited)
Beverlee McKinsey ... Dancer (uncredited)
Cynthia Myers ... Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Flower Parry ... Marathon Spectator (uncredited)
Les Robertson ... Band Member (uncredited)
Sheela Tessler ... Marathon Dancer (uncredited)
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Directed by
Sydney Pollack 
 
Writing credits
Horace McCoy (novel "They Shoot Horses, Don't They?")

James Poe (screenplay) and
Robert E. Thompson (screenplay)

Produced by
Robert Chartoff .... producer
Johnny Green .... associate producer (as John Green)
Theodore B. Sills .... executive producer
Irwin Winkler .... producer
 
Original Music by
Johnny Green (music) (as John Green)
 
Cinematography by
Philip H. Lathrop 
 
Film Editing by
Fredric Steinkamp 
 
Casting by
Lynn Stalmaster 
James Martell (uncredited)
Jack Roberts (uncredited)
 
Production Design by
Harry Horner 
 
Set Decoration by
Frank R. McKelvy  (as Frank McKelvey)
 
Costume Design by
Donfeld 
 
Makeup Department
Sydney Guilaroff .... hair stylist: Miss Fonda (as Sidney Guilaroff)
Frank McCoy .... make up
Ina Claire .... hair stylist: Miss York (uncredited)
Carla Hadley .... hairdresser (uncredited)
Shirley Kirby .... hairdresser (uncredited)
Maggie O'Connor .... body makeup artist (uncredited)
Lenore Weaver .... hairdresser (uncredited)
Sherry Wilson .... hairdresser (uncredited)
 
Production Management
Edward Woehler .... production manager
 
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Al Jennings .... assistant director
Joel Chernoff .... second unit director (uncredited)
C.E. Dismukes .... assistant director (uncredited)
Lynn Guthrie .... second assistant director (uncredited)
 
Art Department
Ben L. Goldman .... property master
Mort Rabinowitz .... production illustrator
Danny Beneducci .... props (uncredited)
 
Sound Department
Norval D. Crutcher .... sound effects editor (as Norval Crutcher)
Tom Overton .... sound
Ora Hudson .... boom operator (uncredited)
Brandon Kellogg .... recordist (uncredited)
Tex Rudloff .... sound re-recording mixer (uncredited)
 
Special Effects by
Blondie Anderson .... special effects (uncredited)
 
Stunts
Chad Evans .... stunts (uncredited)
 
Camera and Electrical Department
Duke Callaghan .... camera operator (as Duke Callahan)
William Classen .... grip (uncredited)
Richard Doran .... assistant camera (uncredited)
Cliff King .... first assistant camera (uncredited)
Craig Novak .... grip (uncredited)
Art Say .... stills (uncredited)
Barry Wexler .... grip (uncredited)
Robert Willoughby .... special still photographer (uncredited)
Lee Wilson .... gaffer (uncredited)
 
Costume and Wardrobe Department
Michael J. Harte .... costumer: men (as Mike Harte)
Mina Mittelman .... costumer: women
Vou Lee Giokaris .... wardrobe (uncredited)
Violet B. Martin .... wardrobe (uncredited)
Thalia Phillips .... wardrobe (uncredited)
Bob Scott .... wardrobe (uncredited)
Joe Somaruga .... wardrobe (uncredited)
Ronald Wind .... wardrobe (uncredited)
 
Editorial Department
Don Guidice .... assistant film editor
 
Music Department
Johnny Green .... orchestral arrangements (as John Green)
Harry King .... music editor
Randy Ravelen .... music coordinator
Albert Woodbury .... orchestral arrangements
Dan Wallin .... score mixer (uncredited)
 
Other crew
Herbert DuFine .... dialogue coach (as Herb Dufine)
Mort Heilig .... production executive (as Morty Heilig)
Phill Norman .... titles
Tom Panko .... marathon dancers supervisor
Emily Torchia .... unit publicist
Joyce Webb .... script supervisor
Noble 'Kid' Chissel .... technical advisor (uncredited)
 
Crew verified as complete


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Additional Details

Parents Guide:
View content advisory for parents
Runtime:
129 min (original version) | USA:120 min (current version)
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Color:
Black and White | Color
Aspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
4-Track Stereo
Certification:
Iceland:12 | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | UK:15 | USA:M (original rating) | USA:PG-13 | West Germany:12 | Singapore:PG
Filming Locations:
Santa Monica Pier, Santa Monica, California, USA
Company:
American Broadcasting Company (ABC) more

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Sydney Pollack shot some of the frightening derby sequences himself, donning a pair of roller skates to get right in the action with the frantically heel/toe-ing actors. 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
Quotes:
Rocky: My father never made it out of the fourth grade. He knew people. But he didn't know his ass from his elbow. You know what he was? He was a faith healer. I used to travel the circut with him. I was the one he healed. I was the shill, to set the crowd up. "Walk, my boy. When I lay my hands on you, you will walk." You will walk. Sodden old bastard. He thought it was him they believed in, but it was me. more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in The Todd Killings (1971) more
Soundtrack:
Till We Meet Again more

FAQ

Location of shoot
more

User Comments

   (Comment on this title)
3 out of 4 people found the following comment useful.
A great classic, 28 May 2008
10/10
Author: ozmosis2323 from Australia

You cannot make a tribute to Sydney Pollack without highlighting one of his earliest and greatest works "they Shoot horses Don't They" made in 1969 which one an Oscar and was nominated for several others as well as a string of awards.

A long film about a dance marathon set in the time of the great depression of the thirties. Starring Jane Fonda she got this role after "Barbarella" and just before her fantastic performance in "KLUTE". Surely this period was the peak of Jane Fonda's career and Sydney Pollack was wise to choose her for this role which required intensity and endurance.

Hailed by critics as not only one of Sydney Pollacks greatest works but also set the benchmark for films with unusual endings for the seventies.

Now is the time to catch up on this classic on DVD and get a further reminder how the films of today mostly lack substance. A great event in American Cinema History.

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