In 1969, director Sydney Pollack brought Horace McCoy’s dark 1935 novel to the screen with They Shoot Horses, Don’t They? — a psychological thriller set against the backdrop of a Depression-era dance marathon. The film follows a group of desperate contestants grinding through an endurance contest for prize money, pushed on by a ruthless emcee who knows how to work the crowd. Jane Fonda led the cast alongside Michael Sarrazin, Susannah York, Red Buttons, Bruce Dern, Bonnie Bedelia, and Gig Young.
The story strips away any glamour from the era. Contestants don’t dance for joy — they dance to survive. The marathon setting becomes a pressure cooker, forcing characters into raw, desperate states. For Fonda, the role of Gloria Beatty was a serious dramatic challenge. Gloria is bitter, worn down, and brutally honest about her hopelessness. It was a far cry from the lighter roles Fonda had taken earlier in her career.
Pollack kept the film’s tone suffocating throughout. The dance hall setting — cramped, loud, and relentless — mirrored the exhaustion the characters were meant to feel. Actors were reportedly pushed hard during production to capture that physical and emotional depletion on screen. Fonda threw herself into the role completely, and it showed.
The film opened in the United States on December 10, 1969. It grossed $12.6 million against a $4.86 million budget, making it the seventeenth-highest-grossing film of the year. Critics responded strongly, praising Pollack’s direction, the screenplay, and the performances — particularly those of Fonda, York, and Young.
The film also had a major international moment, premiering at the Cannes Film Festival in 1970. That kind of recognition on two separate stages — domestic box office success and a Cannes premiere — underlined just how seriously the industry was taking Pollack’s work.
At the 42nd Academy Awards, the film earned nine nominations. Those included Best Director for Pollack, Best Actress for Fonda, Best Supporting Actress for York, and Best Adapted Screenplay. Gig Young, who played the manipulative emcee Rocky, took home the win for Best Supporting Actor. His performance was widely considered one of the best of the year.
As of 2021, They Shoot Horses, Don’t They? holds a notable record: it received more Oscar nominations than any other film that was never nominated for Best Picture. Nine nominations, and not one of them for the top prize. It remains one of Hollywood’s most discussed Oscar oversights.
The vintage photos below capture Fonda during production in 1969. They show a performer fully committed to a demanding role — on set and in the moments between takes. The film marked a turning point in how Hollywood and audiences viewed Fonda as a dramatic actress.
