History Film / TheyShootHorsesDontThey

* QuestioningTitle: The answer, it seems, is "Yes, they do, but that's no excuse to shoot ''people''."
** Though YMMV on that as the answer since the film is actually skewed to be more sympathetic than condemnatory of Robert's actions. The question itself, both [[TitleDrop within the film]] and as its title, is completely rhetorical.

Would-be film director Robert Syverton (Michael Sarrazin) wanders into the shabby La Monica Ballroom on the Santa Monica Pier just as contestants are being signed in for a dance marathon with a cash prize of $1,500. When the partner of cynical aspiring actress Gloria Beatty (Creator/JaneFonda) is disqualified for having a cough that could be a sign of tuberculosis, Rocky (Creator/GigYoung), the fast-talking MC of the marathon, recruits Robert as Gloria's new partner. Other contestants include middle-aged sailor Harry Kline (Red Buttons), aspiring actress Alice (Susannah York) and her partner Joel (Robert Fields), and farm worker James (Creator/BruceDern) and his heavily pregnant wife Ruby (Bonnie Bedelia).

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Would-be film director Robert Syverton (Michael Sarrazin) wanders into the La Monica Ballroom on the Santa Monica Pier just as contestants are being signed in for a dance marathon with a cash prize of $1,500. When the partner of cynical aspiring actress Gloria Beatty (Creator/JaneFonda) is disqualified for having a cough that could be a sign of tuberculosis, Rocky (Creator/GigYoung), the fast-talking MC of the marathon, recruits Robert as Gloria's new partner. Other contestants include middle-aged sailor Harry Kline (Red Buttons), aspiring actress Alice (Susannah York) and her partner Joel (Robert Fields), and farm worker James (Creator/BruceDern) and his heavily pregnant wife Ruby (Bonnie Bedelia).

A 1969 film [[TheFilmOfTheBook based on]] [[Literature/TheyShootHorsesDontThey the Horace McCoy novel of the same name]] and directed by Creator/SydneyPollack, ''They Shoot Horses, Don't They?'' focuses on the participants in a grueling dance marathon in 1932, at the height of TheGreatDepression.

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* RealSongThemeTune: "Easy Come, Easy Go", a Depression-era standard written by Johnny Green (who served as the film's musical director) and Edward Heyman.

Would-be film director Robert Syverton (Michael Sarrazin) wanders into the La Monica Ballroom on the Santa Monica Pier just as contestants are being signed in for a dance marathon with a cash prize of $1,500. When the partner of cynical aspiring actress Gloria Beatty (Creator/JaneFonda) is disqualified for having a cough that could be a sign of tuberculosis, Rocky (Gig Young), the fast-talking MC of the marathon, recruits Robert as Gloria's new partner. Other contestants include middle-aged sailor Harry Kline (Red Buttons), aspiring actress Alice (Susannah York) and her partner Joel (Robert Fields), and farm worker James (Creator/BruceDern) and his heavily pregnant wife Ruby (Bonnie Bedelia).

* CatchPhrase: Rocky is very fond of peppering his speeches to the audience with the word "Yowza!".[[note]]Gig Young patterned his performance as Rocky after '30s bandleader and radio personality Ben Bernie, who also used "Yowza!" liberally.[[/note]]

** ThemeTuneCameo: At one point the song is performed in-universe by a singer/pianist during the marathon.

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* CastingCouch: Early in the marathon, Gloria aggressively seduces a more than willing Rocky to improve her chances of winning the marathon.

* RealSongThemeTune: The film's theme tune is "Easy Come, Easy Go", a Depression-era standard by Johnny Green and Edward Heyman.

** ThemeTuneCameo: At one point the song is performed in-universe by a singer-pianist during the marathon.

* CatchPhrase: Rocky is very fond of peppering his speeches to the audience with the word "Yowza!".[[note]]Young patterned his performance as Rocky after '30s bandleader and radio personality Ben Bernie, who also used "Yowza!" liberally.[[/note]]

* CatchPhrase: Rocky is very fond of peppering his speeches to the audience with the word "Yowza!".[[note]]Young patterned his performance as Rocky after '30s bandleader and radio personality Ben Bernie, who also used the phrase liberally.[[/note]]

* AnachronicOrder: Averted. The film was shot in sequence, to better depict the characters' increasing fatigue.

The film was a hit with critics and audiences, though it holds the dubious distinction of receiving the highest number of AcademyAward nominations without being nominated for Best Picture, with nine (it won just one: Best Supporting Actor for Gig Young as Rocky). The film's title is perhaps more widely known than the film itself, with many works named by variants of [[TheJoyOfX "They Shoot ____, Don't They?"]], whether or not the plot bears any resemblance to that of the film. ([[Website/TheyShootPicturesDontThey This website]], for example.)

-->"But what do we say about the Depression? [raspberry] That's what we say about the Depression!"

** YMMV on that answer. In the film, the question is much more of a rhetorical one anyway since [[TitleDrop technically it's Robert's answer for why he shot Gloria]] (the horse in question being one that he witnessed being put out of its misery after a suffering a severe injury). If anything, a more accurate answer, at least according to the film, is "Yes, they do, if it's kinder than letting them live in agony."