They Shoot Horses, Don't They?

During the Great Depression, dance marathons, where couples fought for survival on the dance floor, took place. Contests that took place non-stop over days and weeks led to prize money and drew a large audience. Sydney Pollack adapts a Horace McCoy novella and sets it within this framework. Pollack focuses on several couples, amongst them Gloria and Robert (the tremendous Fonda and Sarrazin), who have opposite approaches: she is tough, and he is naïve. The efficient direction and how the plot swirls like a vortex and drowns its heroes form a candid drama that was one of the prominent films of the 1960s and 70s. This is a solemn classic worthy of your attention.