People are the ultimate spectacle.
In the midst of the Great Depression, manipulative emcee Rocky enlists contestants for a dance marathon offering a $1,500 cash prize. Among them are a failed actress, a middle-aged sailor, a delusional blonde and a pregnant girl.
They Shoot Horses, Don't They? (1969) is a drama film directed by Sydney Pollack, released on December 10, 1969 with a runtime of 2h. It stars Jane Fonda, Michael Sarrazin, Susannah York and Gig Young. Viewers rate it 7.6 out of 10 across 382 ratings.
Watch the official trailer for They Shoot Horses, Don't They? before you stream it.
Jane Fonda
as Gloria Beatty
Michael Sarrazin
as Robert Syverton
Susannah York
as Alice LeBlanc
Gig Young
as Rocky Gravo
Red Buttons
as Sailor
Bonnie Bedelia
as Ruby Bates
Michael Conrad
as Rollo
Bruce Dern
as James Bates
Al Lewis
as Turkey
Robert Fields
as Joel
Severn Darden
as Cecil
Allyn Ann McLerie
as Shirl
Directed by Sydney Pollack, written by Horace McCoy, James Poe and Robert E. Thompson, produced by Robert Chartoff and Irwin Winkler.
Average viewer score of 7.6/10 from 382 ratings.
Despite the constant streams of sweat on display here, there is something physically and emotionally arid about this two hours of cinematic torture. With the depression in full swing, the down-at-heart “Gloria” (Jane Fonda) heads to California in the hope of becoming a starlet. Meantime, equally disheartened “Robert” (Michael Sarazin) is frustrated that he can’t make a career at the other end of the camera.…
Reviewed on July 15, 2025
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They Shoot Horses, Don't They? (1969) is available to stream on Looke, Oldflix and Looke Amazon Channel. Streaming availability is checked against JustWatch data and can change by region.
The main cast of They Shoot Horses, Don't They? (1969) includes Jane Fonda, Michael Sarrazin, Susannah York, Gig Young and Red Buttons. The film was directed by Sydney Pollack. You can see the full cast and crew list, with character names, further up this page.
They Shoot Horses, Don't They? was released on December 10, 1969 and runs for 2h.
They Shoot Horses, Don't They? (1969) holds an average rating of 7.6 out of 10 from 382 viewer votes, and is a good pick if you enjoy drama films. Read the viewer reviews on this page to decide for yourself.
Yes. The official They Shoot Horses, Don't They? trailer is embedded in the trailer section of this page and plays instantly, no download or sign-up required.
