a b "Box Office Information for They Shoot Horses, Don't They?". The Numbers. Archived from the original on February 3, 2014 . Retrieved February 25, 2012. The novel is narrated by Robert Syverten, a young man who has come to Hollywood to become a film director. Robert is broke and desperate, and he sees the dance marathon as his only chance to make a living. He partners with Gloria Beatty, a young woman who is also struggling to make ends meet.

McCoy's novel was more popular abroad than in America when it was published at the height of the Depression. The book was read in the existentialist circles of France. Although the novel had been distributed by underground literary groups during World War II, its first French edition did not appear until 1946. [2] There is an elderly lady that shows up to watch the dance every day and calls over to them. She says they’re her favorite couple and she’s trying to get them a sponsor. Having a sponsor means that you wear a T-shirt advertising their product and they supply you with new clothes and shoes. While I intend to review the novel on its own merits, I can’t help but remark on some differences between the novel and the 1969 film. The film did not have a murder occur before Robert shoots Gloria that ended the contest and the film also did not emphasize the Morals League and their attempts to get the City Council to shut down the contest. The film made some changes and added a few characters that brought depth and, in some ways, made improvements on the novel. Dance marathons were popular in Depression-era America. In return for undertaking a gruelling and humiliating feat of endurance, the participants received three meals a day and a chance at winning a big money prize. Persall, Steve (April 10, 2008). "Everybody knows Norman". St. Petersburg Times. Archived from the original on April 10, 2008.They Shoot Horses, Don’t They? is a novel by Horace McCoy about a dance marathon during the Great Depression. The story is set in a seedy dance hall in Hollywood, where contestants compete for a cash prize by dancing for as long as they can. The marathon is a brutal and dehumanizing ordeal, and the contestants are pushed to their physical and psychological limits. a b "They Shoot Horses, Don't They?". Turner Classic Movies. Archived from the original on 16 October 2007 . Retrieved 23 June 2018. Variety said, "Puffy-eyed, unshaven, reeking of stale liquor, sweat and cigarettes, Young has never looked older or acted better. Fonda... gives a dramatic performance that gives the film a personal focus and an emotionally gripping power." [16] Interspersed with the dance contest narrative are scenes from Robert's trial and, since its revealed at the beginning, its no secret, he eventually gave in and helped Gloria end it all just as she always said she wanted. "They shoot horses, don't they," he explained as the police took him into custody. Horace McCoy was hired as a bouncer at a dance marathon in Santa Monica, and this first hand experience informs a vivid description of that hellish world. It's a brutal and bleak parable about American life.

As the contest grinds on, couples break down physically and drop out. Robert is consumed with claustrophobia and a desire to get outside into the sun. Gloria is tiring and having difficulty walking for the derby without his help. Ebert, Roger (January 16, 2011). "They Shot Horses, Didn't They?". RogerEbert.com. Archived from the original on August 4, 2018 . Retrieved August 4, 2018. Robert Syverten is the narrator. He tells what led up to his murder of Gloria Beatty and his eventual death sentence. He met her when he thought her waving for a bus was an attempt to meet him. He is still weak from intestinal flu when he joins the dance contest as Beatty’s partner. The contest lasts over a month and includes a race every night to eliminate contestants. He is passive and puts up with Beatty's pessimism and taunts, even while he remains naive and optimistic. When the contest ends with no winners, Gloria asks him to kill her. He jokingly says the book and film's title, "They shoot horses, don't they?" meaning it is a mercy to put the crippled to death. Gloria is killed, and Robert has no explanation for it. He will be put to death, and his optimism is finally replaced by Gloria's nihilism and hopelessness. Gloria Beatty

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After a couple of weeks most couples have about enough energy to slow dance or simply amble around the stage. They must stay on their feet. If they fall to exhaustion their knees have to be a foot above the ground or they’ll be disqualified. These periods are punctuated by sprints around the dance floor and regular derbies, which are designed to weed out the weakest contestants. The rationale behind these contests is the same as the reality TV shows of recent decades such as ‘Survivor’ and ‘Fear Factor’. These may be only less brutal than the dance marathons in that they are shorter in duration. Festival de Cannes: They Shoot Horses, Don't They?". Festival-cannes.com. Archived from the original on January 23, 2013 . Retrieved April 11, 2009. The dance marathon is a microcosm of the Depression-era world. The contestants are all from different walks of life, but they are all united by their poverty and desperation. They are all willing to do whatever it takes to win, even if it means putting their health and sanity at risk. Gloria adopts a firmly cynical view of the world. She reveals to Robert that she’s tired of getting bit parts and thinks that “they got it all rigged before you ever show up”. As the film progresses, Gloria constantly toys with the idea of giving up completely. When Robert asks her what she would do with the prize money, she succinctly answers “Maybe I’d buy some good rat poison”. Gloria’s jaded, but realistic outlook on life contrasts directly with Alice’s naïve perspective. Alice arrives at the competition looking like the belle of the ball. Clad in white and imitating Marilyn Monroe, Alice believes that the dance marathon will be an opportunity for her to land a major acting career, as casting directors may be in the audience. Gloria, having already seen the cruelty of the acting industry knows that Alice’s quest can only end in humiliation. A gritty tale from the impoverished America of the 1930s , it certainly is . And its cleverly told by the narrator as he hears the Judge pronounce the Death Sentence . And its certainly got pace .

Why are these high-powered scientists always screwing around trying to prolong life instead of finding pleasant ways to end it?’ They Shoot Horses, Don't They?". TV Guide. Archived from the original on September 18, 2012 . Retrieved April 10, 2008.The film was screened at the 1970 Cannes Film Festival, but was not entered into the main competition. [13] In the United States, the film was applauded for portraying the Depression era. In what ways does the Dance Marathon craze presage the advent of the Attention Economy and social media? Robert and Gloria both had or have aspirations to break into motion pictures, Robert with the goal of becoming a film director and Gloria having had the now abandoned goal of becoming an actress. They meet accidentally, Robert thinking that Gloria is waving to him, even though he is a complete stranger. They walk together and get into a conversation. Characteristic of Gloria’s attitude to life: The basis for this story is concerning the promotion of a dance marathon during the Great Depression. The winner is promised cash and free food. And, unlike the many reality shows we see today, there is a realness and desperation to this contest that is quite grotesque, disturbing and bizarre.

Published in 1935 , nothing much happened . Only later was it hailed as " senselessly exciting " and " lurid beyond itself "Horace McCoy’s 1935 novel, They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?, sold only 3,000 copies when it was first published in 1935, according to the 20 Nov 1969 DV review of the film, but the book was later described as a “minor classic” in the 11 Dec 1969 NYT. It was republished in 1948, 1955, and 1966, an article in the 6 Mar 1966 LAT noted. In 1947, screenwriter James Poe became interested in optioning screen rights, but his acquisition of the property was not announced until summer 1966, when a 25 Jul 1966 LAT article reported that Poe would produce, write, and make his feature film directorial debut on the project. The 10 Jan 1969 DV named Charles Chaplin as one of several other filmmakers who had previously optioned the novel. Simels, Steve (June 21, 1996). "They Shoot Horses, Don't They?". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on January 28, 2018 . Retrieved November 30, 2021. Rizzo, Francis III (August 19, 2017). "They Shoot Horses, Don't They Blu-ray review". DVD Talk. Archived from the original on May 18, 2019 . Retrieved September 20, 2020.