They Shoot Horses, Don't They?

The Great Depression. A dance marathon is running on the Santa Monica pier, couples dancing for hours and then days without stopping, the last pair standing taking 1,500 dollars. Robert, a homeless man, is paired with Gloria. As the contest wears on, bodies and minds come apart, and the organisers do whatever draws a crowd. Sydney Pollack directed. Jane Fonda plays Gloria, Gig Young plays the emcee Rocky, Michael Sarrazin plays Robert and Susannah York plays Alice. Pollack got the job partly on price: at 150,000 dollars he asked for the lowest fee. Fonda later said it was the first time a director asked her how she saw the character and the story. At the 42nd Academy Awards it took nine nominations without being nominated for Best Picture, and as of 2025 it still holds the record for the most nominations without a Best Picture nod. Gig Young won Best Supporting Actor. Roger Ebert gave it four stars and called it a masterful re-creation. Who it is for: viewers who like films that state despair plainly and refuse to soften it. Who it is not for: anyone having a bad day. The film moves downhill throughout, and the ending is exactly what the title says.