They Shoot Horses, Don't They?
|
List Price: Our Price: $13.49 You Save: $1.49 (10%) Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Buy Used: from $5.99 (click here) Category: DVD See more DVD releases |
|---|
Buy this DVD movie at online store in your country
Canada
Canada
Movie Reviews of They Shoot Horses, Don't They?
Movie Review: "Isn't THAT 'The American Way'?"
Summary: 4 Stars
What a movie. That is what I can say about watching "They Shoot Horses Don't They?" earlier today. As you know the movie is set during the tail end of The Great Depression in 1934 but like what director Arthur Penn did to "Bonnie and Clyde", director Sidney Pollock (I still can't get over him dying) uses that time to express the paranoia that was going on in America during the years after the Kennedy assassination in the 60's-and in some regard what is going on now as the 2000's is about to end. The cast is great-Jane Fonda, Michael Sarrazin, Gig Young, Bruce Dern (who already co-stared with Jane's brother Peter with "The Wild Angels" and "The Trip"), Red Buttons, Bonnie Belinda. But the real star definitely belong to Susannah York-who plays stage actress Alice. As you know she was noninated for an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for this film, and she lost to Goldie Hawn for "Cactus Flower". I saw Hawn's movie and I could only watch the first 30 minutes because it was shockingly over the top (in some regards a microcausm of the 60's ending in chaos) while York's performance in this movie is so good that I'm shocked the Academy didn't give it to her especially the scene in which she is crying over where her dress was. I think she's the only British actress from the 1960's that takes my breath away and it would of capped a fitting end to it having started with "The Greengage Summer" in 1961 and then of course with "Tom Jones" two years later. To add insult to injury Gig Young won the Oscar for this movie when it should of been her, York wouldn't be nominated again, and the big kicker: The movie that Goldie Hawn won the Oscar was for a comedy; which as you know the Academy (any wonder they put the word 'science' in it?) has a taboo track record for that genre. As you know the movie ends with (spoiler) Sarrazin's character killing Gloria (Fonda) with a bullet to the head from the gun that she took from Young's character. How ironic considering they let the audience remind them how John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King, and Robert Kennedy got killed during the 60's. And it ends with the dance marathon continuing on not revealing who wins the money; as it remind me of a cliche that I came up to decribe the movies during the 1960's: Nobody won. I definally want some people to see this. Movie Review: They Shoot Horses, Don't They?
Summary: 5 Stars
Great Sydney Pollack movie. Yes it is a slower pace but the movie represents people going though tough times in America. A film with a story line like this will never be filmed because capitalist exploitation is no longer this overt.Movie Review: excellent
Summary: 5 Stars
what a great film. the plot entails the spectacle of a dance marathon to win the grand prize of 1500 dollars. it smartly explores the harsh realities of exploitation and vouyerism in our culture. the characters are fascinatingly portrayed, especially fonda for her brokenness and bitterness. the humanity of these people will open your eyes and heart. the film is tremendously engaging and it shouldn't disappoint anyone looking to feel the power of a classic portrayal of suffering, desperation and the human condition. Movie Review: A powerhouse
Summary: 4 Stars
A powerful movie that breaks your heart witnessing the human suffering that was part of the Great Depression. Gig Young's performance is over the top but one wonders how it could be anything else. Jane Fonda shows she was an actress and not merely a celebrity and Michael Sarazan, whatever happened to him? is a JFK look alike as one of the walking wounded of the depression.Movie Review: My all time favorite film
Summary: 5 Stars
Sydney Pollack died today, and I have yet to see this movie mentioned in any of his obituaries. This is criminal. He produced, in this early film of his, an enduring masterpiece that is a must see for every lover of film, and for every person seeking to know Truth.
I first saw this movie on my way to my second tour in Vietnam. It was the only movie showing at the post theater and I never would have gone to it otherwise. I did not have the least interest in the subject matter and despised Jane Fonda.
The movie is a horrible, grueling experience. You are wishing, hoping, that something will happen that will give some relief, but it just keeps going down. This beautiful, but desperate young couple just tries and tries and tries, but by the end every hope is dashed, every dream has become a nightmare, and every possibility is crushed. And then it gets worse.
No movie has ever made me so angry or so depressed. As I walked out of the theater, I kept asking myself, "What kind of sick mind would think they are entertaining people with this sad, and hopeless story?" "WHAT WERE THEY THINKING?"
Then it hit me. This was the most realistic portrayal of the human experience I had ever seen or read. This movie is each of our life's story (if there was no God). This is how the world works. This is how we are tricked all our lives to give our best performance, and this is really what we all get in the end.
Reviews that say it is a historical film about the depression era totally miss the depth of meaning. The location, the music, the costumes etc. are secondary. The portrayal of Gig Young's seduction of these poor starving people, the raising of their hopes, the full measure of effort, the total exhaustion, the crushing of their dreams, and worse; it is the actors full measure you can't forget.
"They Shoot Horses Don't They" is the most amazingly honest film I have ever seen in my life. It has become my favorite because it takes away the curtain and reveals who we really are, the world we live in, and our destiny. God Help Us.