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Trailer

They Shoot Horses, Don't They?

1969Movie2 h 0 minPG

Drama
78
GreatGoodWatch score
IMDb7.8Metacritic727.4Rotten Tomatoes82%89%

A relentlessly bleak, deeply moving drama movie about history and show business.

Good for friends night · thought-provoking · adults

Skip it if you need an uplifting mood · you want fast pacing

Where to watch

Set your services

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Not for warmth, comfort or laughs.

Movies with

Story

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.

Feels like

  • Dance Marathon
  • Great Depression Era
  • Social Commentary
  • Bleak and Tragic
  • Psychological Drama
  • Historical Setting
  • Existential Despair
  • Showbiz Dark Side
  • Marathon of Suffering

Cast

24 of 24

Crew

Directed by
Sydney Pollack
Written by
James Poe, Horace McCoy, Robert E. Thompson
Produced by
Irwin Winkler, Robert Chartoff
Music by
Johnny Green

Everyone

Pick a department, or search for a name or a job (“editor”, “stunt”).

Facts

December 10, 1969 · 2 h 0 min · PG

Released
December 10, 1969
Runtime
2 h 0 min
Age rating
PG
Content
Suicide Themes
Genres
Drama
Original language
English
Made in
United States
Available in
4 countries
Keywords
based on novel or book

Tropes

Dancing Is Serious Business, Anachronic Order, Composite Character +9

  • Dancing Is Serious Business
  • Anachronic Order
  • Composite Character
  • No Ending
  • I Cannot Self-Terminate
  • Crapsack World
  • Accidental Misnaming
  • Death Seeker
  • Everyone Calls Him "Barkeep"
  • Read the Fine Print
  • Catchphrase
  • Jerk with a Heart of Gold

12 of 46 tropes. From TV Tropes.

Q&A

6 questions, like "Where can I stream They Shoot Horses, Don't They??"

Questions about They Shoot Horses, Don't They?

Quick answers from GoodWatch data.

Where can I stream They Shoot Horses, Don't They??

TCM

In the United States, They Shoot Horses, Don't They? streams on TCM. It also streams in 3 other countries.

Is They Shoot Horses, Don't They? worth watching?

78
GreatGoodWatch score

Mostly, it's well received, with a GoodWatch score of 78 (IMDb 7.8, Rotten Tomatoes 82%, and Metacritic 72).

Is They Shoot Horses, Don't They? okay for kids?

PGSuicide themes

Better for older viewers: it's rated PG in the United States for suicide themes, and the viewing guide lists it for adults.

Will I feel good after watching They Shoot Horses, Don't They??

BleakHopeful

Probably not: the title analysis rates it 10 of 10 for bleakness and 9 for melancholy, against 1 for hopefulness.

Is They Shoot Horses, Don't They? plot-driven or character-driven?

CharactersPlot

Mostly character-driven: it leans on pathos (9 of 10) and character depth (8 of 10) more than on its plot.

What tropes does They Shoot Horses, Don't They? use?

Dancing Is Serious BusinessAnachronic OrderComposite CharacterNo EndingI Cannot Self-TerminateCrapsack WorldAccidental MisnamingDeath SeekerEveryone Calls Him "Barkeep"Read the Fine PrintCatchphraseJerk with a Heart of Goldand 34 more

TV Tropes lists 46 tropes for it, including Dancing Is Serious Business, Anachronic Order, and Composite Character.