They Shoot Horses, Don't They?

Based on Horace McCoy's novel, Sidney Pollack's 1969 They Shoot Horses, Don't They? serves up a stark reminder of the hopelessness and desperation of the Great Depression era in its meticulous recreation of one of the notorious dance marathon contests of the 1930s. In a ruthless act of exploitation, contestants suffer to the point of collapse while competing for a $1,500 prize being offered by a huckster (Gig Young). In one of the best performances of her career, Jane Fonda stars as Gloria Beatty who teams up with Robert (Michael Sarrazin) after her original partner is diagnosed with bronchitis. Also starring Susannah York, Red Buttons, Bruce Dern, and Bonnie Bedelia, the film earned nine Academy Award nominations for, among other categories, Best Director, Actress (Fonda), Supporting Actress (York), and Screenplay. Making its second appearance on DVD in a much better anamorphic widescreen transfer backed by solid Dolby Digital mono sound, the film's only extra is the original trailer. Highly recommended. (R. Pitman)[Blu-ray/DVD Review—Sept. 5, 2017—Kino Lorber, 120 min., PG, DVD: $19.95, Blu-ray: $29.95—Making its latest appearance on DVD and debut on Blu-ray, 1969's They Shoot Horses, Don't They? features a great transfer and a DTS-HD 2.0 soundtrack on the Blu-ray release. Extras include two audio commentaries (one by director Sydney Pollack; the other by star Jane Fonda, producers Irwin Winkler and Martin Baum, costars Bonnie Bedelia, Michale Sarrazin, and Red Buttons, and hair stylist Sydney Guilaroff), and a “making-of” featurette (7 min.). Bottom line: this classic drama shines on Blu-ray.]