They Shoot Horses, Don’t They? is an absolutely devastating movie. Disturbing to the core, really. It’s deceptive in its sadness, instead taking something as potentially jubilant like a marathon dance contest, and using it as a backdrop for some of the most poignant and cynical comments about the human experience and psyche. While I’ve not seen everything that Sidney Pollack directed, I’m tempted to say that, from what I’ve seen, this is his best, most defining work. How this epic yet intimate film hasn’t been picked up by The Criterion Collection or Twilight Time I’ll never know, as it’s the sort of picture from a lost era of filmmaking, that would never, ever get made today. And while certainly a product of its time, it still tells a thoroughly timeless story that anyone could connect with. Jane Fonda was at her iciest here, and did an extraordinary job of communicating sadness with only her facial expressions.
Released in 1969 and based on the Horace McCoy novel from 1935, screenwriters James Poe and Robert E. Thompson crafted a true piece of cinematic Americana, and via Pollack’s steadfast and unwavering direction, the film resonates just as strongly now as it likely did upon first glance. An amazing supporting cast including Michael Sarrazin, Susannah York, Bruce Dern, Bonnie Bedelia, and Gig Young were all on hand, while the dusty images by cinematographer Philip H. Lathrop reinforced the desperate, hardscrabble nature of the disparate group of characters. Johnny Green’s musical score, in tandem with various era-specific classics, ranged from jaunty to severe, lively to melancholy, while the film would become noted for its use of flash-forwards, especially during the extremely grim, final sequences. They Shoot Horses, Don’t They? screened at the Cannes Film Festival, and would prove to be a critical success and box office hit, but really needs to be rescued by a boutique physical media company as it deserves major Special Edition treatment.
Podcasting Them Softly 