Based on the novel by Horace McCoy, They Shoot Horses, Don’t They? is the story of a people trying to win a dance marathon during the Great Depression with a power-hungry emcee urging them to continue. Directed by Sydney Pollock and screenplay by Robert E. Thompson and James Poe, the film is a study of people who are desperate to win this dance marathon in the hope of winning $1,500 during a troubled time where people are clinging to hope. Starring Jane Fonda, Michael Sarrazin, Susannah York, Bruce Dern, Bonnie Bedelia, Red Buttons, and Gig Young. They Shoot Horses, Don’t They? is a harrowing and evocative film from Sydney Pollock.
The film revolves around a dance marathon during the Great Depression where a group of people attend the marathon in the hopes of winning $1,500 and a better life as they also hope to win the audience. Yet, it’s a marathon that goes on for days and days where it becomes a troubling image of exploitation where people try to stay away and move just to win money. The film’s screenplay by Robert E. Thompson and James Poe has this narrative that features what could be flashbacks or something as it relates to the character Robert Syverton (Michael Sarrazin) who walks into the La Monica Ballroom on the Santa Monica Pier accidentally where this marathon is to begin. Syverton is chosen to partner up with the cynical Gloria Beatty (Jane Fonda) whose original partner is unable to participate due to bronchitis. Other participants including an elderly sailor named Harry Kline (Red Buttons) who is joined by his partner Shirl (Allyn Ann McLerie), the aspiring actress from London in Alice (Susannah York) with her partner in another struggling actor in Joel (Robert Fields), and a farming couple in James (Bruce Dern) and his pregnant wife Ruby (Bonnie Bedelia).
The first act is about the marathon and everything that happens as it is overseen by its emcee Rocky Gravo (Gig Young) who is hoping to make money out of this marathon as the dancers would get sponsorship to keep on dancing hoping they would win. Yet, Gravo has something sinister in making people attend everything and to see who drops out and who stays on that would also include breaks but also the terrifying race around the dancefloor for a period of time where the last three couples are eliminated. It adds to the drama with Beatty wondering why some of these people are there including the pregnant Ruby as she would often question herself. Syverton, who is a reluctant participant, observes everything that is happening as he would also have flashbacks on his childhood while getting some unwanted attention from Alice.
Sydney Pollock’s direction does bear a lot of style as it is shot largely in a soundstage with a few of the exteriors shot at the Santa Monica Pier as much of the film is set in this ballroom. Pollock’s usage of wide and medium shots to get a scope of the entire ballroom is immense yet it is his usage in the latter and close-ups that add to the drama that occur. Notably as much of the action occur is in the ballroom with a few breaks in these rooms where the contestants rest for a where some of the drama occur with Beatty looking around the other women with an air of disdain. Pollock maintains something straightforward in those scenes while including a few strange recurring images of fields as it relates to Syverton as he is seen being interrogated. The behind-the-scenes moments involving Gravo showcase a man who is doing whatever he can to make money and to make the show more interesting so that the people attending this marathon can watch people suffer.
The two scenes involving the race around the dancefloor is definitely the most intense where Pollock doesn’t show the craziness of this moment but also this growing idea of inhumanity as these people are trying to walk around an entire lap and make sure they’re not eliminated. The ones who drop on the floor showcase the horror of these races while the moment they’re dancing and could barely move also add to this inhumanity. Most notably in the third act where Beatty and Syverton briefly break-up and be with other partners as it adds to the growing chaos where they both learn that there’s a lot more at stake. Even as Gravo continues to stir the pot and hope that there’s a winner yet it adds to this growing cynicism that Beatty has as well as revelations for Syverton about the world in general. Overall, Pollock crafts a riveting yet chilling film about a group of people trying to win a dance marathon during the Great Depression.
Cinematographer Philip H. Lathrop does brilliant work with the film’s cinematography with the usage of sepia-like color for a few stylish shots in the flashbacks as well as gorgeous approach to lighting for many of the interiors including low-key natural light for the scenes where the contestants rest. Editor Fredric Steinkamp does amazing work with the editing where it knows when to be straightforward in the dramatic moments while the racing scenes has this air of chaos in its fast cuts as well as bits of slow-motion for dramatic effect. Production designer Harry Horner and set decorator Frank R. McKelvy do excellent work with the look of the dancehall and its many interiors as well as the way the floor is re-painted for the racing scenes. Costume designer Donfeld does fantastic work with the costumes as it play into the period of the times as it includes the gorgeous gown that Alice wears that later goes into ruins to the sweats some of the people wear during the racing scene.
Makeup artist Frank McCoy, along with hair stylists Sydney Guilaroff and Ina Claire, does terrific work with the look of the characters as they sweat and become sleep-deprived while Guilaroff does the look of Beatty and Claire doing the look of Alice. The sound work of Tom Overton is superb for the atmosphere it maintains in the way the crowd sounds as well as how music is presented from afar as well as the sounds of the sea heard from the outside of the building. The film’s music is a wonderful mixture of standards of those times as it adds to the atmosphere while being a major highlight of the film.
The casting by Lyn Stalmaster, James Martell, and Jack Roberts is incredible as it feature some notable small roles from Art Metrano as a dancer who collapses during the first race, Madge Kennedy as an old lady who sponsors Beatty and Syverton, Allyn Ann McLerie as Harry’s partner Shirl, Robert Fields as Alice’s partner in aspiring actor Joel, Al Lewis as Gravo’s right-hand man Turkey, and Michael Conrad as one of the event’s organizers in Rollo. Bruce Dern and Bonnie Bedelia are fantastic in their respective roles as the traveling couple James and Ruby Bates who have done dance marathons before but they’re facing a bigger challenge with the latter being pregnant as the former tries to be supportive but also defensive towards Beatty’s cynical remarks. Red Buttons is excellent as the sailor Harry Kline as an old war veteran eager to win some money as he befriends some of the dancers while dealing with the intense challenges of staying up as well as the race itself.
Susannah York is brilliant as Alice LeBlanc as an actress from London eager to get some attention from talent scouts to appear at the marathon only to deal with stolen items, envy, and other issues as she starts to become fragile. Gig Young is amazing as Rocky Gravo as the organizer and emcee of the marathon who does whatever he can to sell tickets and make money while also playing a devious game of torturing people in the hope he can make some money as it’s a charming yet devilish performance. Michael Sarrazin is incredible as Robert Syverton as a man who accidentally walks into the ballroom where he reluctantly becomes Beatty’s partner as he deals with the chaos around him while in some strange images recounts some things in his life as it’s an understated performance from Sarrazin. Finally, there’s Jane Fonda in a phenomenal performances as Gloria Beatty as a woman eager to win by any means necessary while dealing with the physical, emotional, and mental torment of her desire to win hoping it’s one last chance at doing something where Fonda brings that biting cynicism to play a woman that has lost a lot of hope and is clinging to that last semblance of hope as it is one of Fonda’s quintessential performances.
They Shoot Horses, Don’t They? is a tremendous film from Sydney Pollock that features a great performance from Jane Fonda. Along with its supporting cast, eerie setting, study of human nature and exploitation, and gorgeous visuals. The film is definitely an engaging period drama set during the Great Depression that explore what people are willing to do win money during a dark time in history as well as the lows they have to endure with some trying to milk it for all of its worth. In the end, They Shoot Horses, Don’t They? is a spectacular film from Sydney Pollock.
Sydney Pollock Films: (The Slender Thread) – (This Property is Condemned) – (The Scalphunters) – (Castle Keep) – (Jeremiah Johnson) – (The Way We Were) – (The Yakuza) – (Three Days of the Condor) – (Bobby Deerfield) – (The Electric Horseman) – (Absence of Malice) – Tootsie - (Out of Africa) – (Havana) – (The Firm) – (Sabrina (1995 film)) – (Random Hearts) – (The Interpreter) – (Sketches of Frank Gehry) – (Amazing Grace (2018 film))
© thevoid99 2020
Directed by Jerry Paris and written by Gene Quintano, Police Academy 3: Back in Training is the story of the academy’s best graduates who are asked to return to the academy in order to train a new group of misfit recruits in order to save it from being shut down in a competition with a rival academy. The film is another comedy where cops do whatever it takes to save their academy as their new recruits include a cop’s wife, a Japanese police officer, a former merchant, and a reformed gang leader. With returning cast members Steve Guttenberg, Bubba Smith, Michael Winslow, David Graf, Leslie Easterbrook, Marion Ramsey, Bruce Mahler, Tim Kazurinsky, Bobcat Goldthwait, George R. Robertson, Lance Kinsey, Art Metrano, and George Gaynes all reprising their roles in the previous films. The film also stars Brian Tochi, David Huband, Shawn Weatherly, and Ed Nelson. Police Academy 3: Back in Training is a wild and exhilarating film from Jerry Paris.
When the state’s governor announces that its government is unable to support two police academies as one of them will be shut down, the two academies go into a competition where a committee will decide which one will stay and which one will shut down. That is pretty much the plot of the film where Commandant Eric Lassard (George Gaynes) brings back his top graduates from the past to spar with Commandant Mauser (Art Metrano) who leads the other academy. Yet, Mauser would get wind of what was to happen before the announcement as he and his assistant Captain Proctor (Lance Kinsey) team up with two of Lassard’s former cadets in Sgt. Blankes (Brant van Hoffman) and Sgt. Copeland (Scott Thomson) to ensure that Lassard’s academy goes down. Yet, Lassard brings in his top graduates in Sgt. Mahoney (Steve Guttenberg), Sgt. Hightower (Bubba Smith), Sgt. Tackleberry (David Graf), Sgt. Jones (Michael Winslow), Sgt. Hooks (Marion Ramsey), and Lt. Callahan (Leslie Easterbrook) to train the new recruits any way they can as well as do some humiliating things to Mauser.
The film’s screenplay is sort of a rehash of the first film which was about a group of misfits who attend the police academy in their desire to be cops as this one is also about a band of misfits that includes Tackleberry’s brother-in-law Bud Kirkland (Andrew Paris), a young heir named Hedges (David Huband), a Japanese police officer named Nogata (Brian Tochi), a beautiful woman named Karen Adams (Shawn Weatherly) whom Mahoney falls for, and the wife of a cop in Mrs. Fackler (Debralee Scott). Also joining Lassard’s academy is the former merchant shop owner Sweetchuck (Tim Kazurinsky) and his old nemesis in reformed gang leader Zed (Bobcat Goldthwait) as they become roommates and later work together to help Lassard win over the committee. Especially as Mauser is willing to do anything to make Lassard and his academy look bad as he becomes cocky in his pursuit as well as be humiliated by Mahoney and his gang in a series of hilarious pranks.
Jerry Paris’ direction is quite simple in terms of the compositions as he doesn’t go for anything new though there is this nice balance between action and comedy. Most notably as Paris brings back a few gags from previous films while creating new ones that play into Mahoney and his gang trying to one-up and humiliate Mauser who is doing everything he can to impress this committee. Paris’ usage of close-ups and medium shots do play out as it relates to Nogata’s attraction towards Callahan as well as some of the moments involving Sweetchuck and Zed as they play off this odd couple of meekish nerd and wild slob, respectively. Though there’s a few moments where some of the humor doesn’t exactly work which does lag the pacing of the film a bit. There are moments where it is about a group of misfits trying to rise above everything and save the academy from being shut down as well as deal with those who are trying to take it down. Overall, Paris creates a very fun and exciting film about a group of misfit cops and some new recruits battling it out with another academy in order to save their own.
Cinematographer Robert Saad does nice work with the film‘s cinematography where it‘s quite straightforward for the daytime scenes while it‘s more effective for the scenes at night that includes the opening meeting Mauser holds with Proctor, Blankes, and Copeland at a parking garage. Editor Bud Molin does excellent work with the editing as it‘s straightforward with some stylish transitions and rhythmic cuts to play into the film‘s humor and action scenes. Production designer Trevor Williams, with art directors Rhiley Fuller and Dennis Davenport and set decorator Sean Kirby, does brilliant work with the look of the academy as well as some of the locations in Toronto plus the look of Mauser‘s academy.
Costume designer Aleida MacDonald does superb work with the costumes from the different police uniforms such as the more dark-blue style of Lassard‘s academy to the more khaki-based look of Mauser‘s academy. Sound editor Dale Johnston does amazing work with the sound to play into the sound of gunfire and other sound effects including the self-made ones by Jones. The film’s music by Robert Folk is fantastic for its bombastic theme with some orchestral flourishes and jazz-based pieces while music supervisors Tena Clark and David Chackler bring in a soundtrack that features a mix of rock and pop music.
The casting by Fern Champion and Pamela Basker is great as it features notable small roles from David James Elliot as one of Mauser’s cadets, Ed Nelson as the governor, Bruce Mahler as Fackler, Arthur Batanides as Kirkland’s father, Georgina Spelvin as the hooker from the first film who humiliates Proctor in a funny way, David Huband as the posh cadet Hedges, Debralee Scott as Fackler’s wife who becomes a police cadet and falls for Bud Kirkland, Andrew Paris as Tackleberry’s brother-in-law Bud who becomes a cadet as he has the boxing skills to fight off criminals, the duo of Brant van Hoffman and Scott Thomson in their respective roles as the sniveling Blankes and Copeland who help Mauser in taking Lassard’s academy down, and George R. Robertson as Chief Hurst who becomes annoyed by Mauser‘s ass-kissing. Other notable small roles include Shawn Weatherly in a wonderful performance as Karen Adams as a cadet Mahoney takes a liking to as well as Brian Tochi in a terrific performance as the Japanese cadet Nogata who is skilled in karate as he falls for Callahan.
Lance Kinsey is very funny as the dim-witted Proctor who does everything for Mauser only to screw things up and also become a victim of the other Academy’s pranks. Marion Ramsey is fantastic as Hooks as she teaches the cadets in police work while being very suspicious about Blankes and Copeland. George Gaynes is superb as Commandant Eric Lassard as the eccentric academy leader who is hoping that his academy will win while just being focused on police work as he also proves to be a formidable badass. Art Metrano is excellent as Commandant Mauser as the film’s antagonist who tries to take down Lassard’s academy as his arrogance and brown-nosing ends up having him be the brunt of many of the pranks caused by Mahoney. Leslie Easterbrook is brilliant as Lt. Callahan who helps in the training of the new cadets while getting the attention of Nogata whom she is impressed by.
Michael Winslow is hilarious as Jones as he creates some noises to humiliate Mauser as well as help Nogata out in winning over Callahan. David Graf is terrific as Tackleberry as he helps Sweetchuck into become a tough police officer. Bubba Smith is amazing as Hightower as big man who gets things done while teaching cadets how to have police dogs as their equals. Tim Kazurinsky is fun to watch as the meek Sweetchuck who tries to gain some confidence as a cop. Bobcat Goldthwait is a riot as Zed as a reformed gang leader who decides to become a cop as he uses unconventional tactics to get results. Finally, there’s Steve Guttenberg in a marvelous performance as Mahoney as he aids in training the cadets as he also tries to boost their confidence while finding ways to humiliate Commandant Mauser.
Police Academy 3: Back in Training is a superb film from Jerry Paris. With its great cast as well as some very funny moments, it is a film that manages to be entertaining though it is quite flawed but saved by some of the scene-stealing performances of Art Metrano and Bobcat Goldthwait. In the end, Police Academy 3: Back in Training is a fantastic film from Jerry Paris.
Police Academy Films: Police Academy - Police Academy 2: Their First Assignment - Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol - Police Academy 5: Assignment Miami Beach - Police Academy 6: City Under Siege - Police Academy: Mission to Moscow
© thevoid99 2015
Directed by Jerry Paris and screenplay by Barry W. Blaustein and David Sheffield, Police Academy 2: Their First Assignment is the sequel to the 1984 film where it revolves on six of its graduates who are assigned to help a police precinct captain to battle a local gang. The film plays into the world of gang culture as six young cops do whatever they can to battle this gang as Steve Guttenberg, Bubba Smith, David Graf, Marion Ramsey, Michael Winslow, Bruce Mahler, and George R. Robertson, and George Gaynes all reprise their roles from the first film. Also starring Bobcat Goldthwait, Tim Kazurinsky, Lance Kinsey, Art Metrano, Colleen Camp, Peter Van Norden, and Howard Hesseman as Captain Pete Lassard. Police Academy 2: Their First Assignment is a fun and wild film from Jerry Paris.
When a local gang runs amok on a city as a police precinct captain has 30 days to deal with the situation, he is given six new recruits who had just graduated from the police academy as they deal with this wild gang. It’s a film that sort of picks up where the previous film left off as Mahoney (Steve Guttenberg), Jones (Michael Winslow), Hightower (Bubba Smith, Tackleberry (David Graf), Hooks (Marion Ramsey), and Fackler (Bruce Mahler) are chosen to aid Captain Pete Lassard in shaping up his precinct which is filled with aging cops who are too overwhelmed to handle the situation. Yet, the local gang run by Zed McGlunk (Bobcat Goldthwait) are an unconventional gang who do what they want as the other problem Mahoney and his fellow graduates have is Lt. Mauser (Art Metrano) who also works at the precinct as he is trying to make sure they screw up so he can become the new captain of the precinct.
The film’s screenplay not only play to the struggle the rookies have to face in their very first assignment but also into the world of inter-police politics as Lt. Mauser is eager to make Cpt. Lassard look bad as Mahoney and some of the officers know exactly what Mauser is up to as they would pull a few pranks on him. There’s also some subplots as it relates to the rookies in their first assignment as some of them are paired with more experienced officers as Mahoney teams with a slob named Vinnie Schtulman (Peter Van Norden) and Tackleberry with Sgt. Kathleen Kirkland (Colleen Camp) whom he falls for as they both share a love of guns and firepower. The rookies’ encounter with Zed’s gang also has them meeting up with a frequent victim of the gang in Carl Sweetchuck (Tim Kazurinsky) who is put into some darkly-comical situations. The script succeeds in not just developing the rookies trying to get the job done but also take some major risks in putting Zed and his gang down for good while saving Captain Lassard’s job.
Jerry Paris’ direction is very lively as it is shot on location in Toronto and nearby locations in Ontario as he manages to keep things straightforward in the compositions. Notably as the streets in Toronto are given a very grimy look to play into a city coming undone by a gang as they wreak havoc on the street at it includes a scene walking into a supermarket and causing trouble with some funny moments. Paris’ usage of close-ups and medium shot do play into the action as well as some of the film’s comical moments that includes Jones using his martial arts skill to pretend he’s Bruce Lee or Hightower throwing a football to a street punk. The gags manage to keep things lively as it includes a scene at the Blue Oyster Bar where Zed’s gang definitely cross path with a bunch of men that shouldn’t be messed with. Paris also brings in bits of crass humor that is quite playful as it plays a moment in time where it was OK to be politically incorrect as well as elements that are quite silly but it’s not afraid to be silly or crass. Overall, Paris creates a very funny and engaging film about six rookies going all out against a street gang.
Cinematographer James Crabe does excellent work with the film‘s cinematography to play into the grimy look of the streets for some of the daytime exteriors as well as some unique lighting for its nighttime interior/exterior scenes. Editor Bob Wyman does terrific work with the editing as it‘s very straightforward to play into some of the film‘s humor and action sequences. Production designer Trevor Williams, with set decorators Robert C. Furginson and Dennis W. Peebles, does brilliant work with the look of the city streets to play into its sense of decay as it‘s being ruined by Zed‘s gang as well as the look of Zed‘s secret hideout.
Costume designer Bernie Pollack does nice work with the costumes as it mostly involve the uniforms and the grimy clothes of the gang. Sound editor Dale Johnston does superb work with the sound as it plays into the sound of gunfire and some of the sound effects that Jones make. The film’s music by Robert Folk is brilliant as it features the franchise’s theme as well as thrilling pieces involving the saxophone for its action as well as some of the romantic moments while the soundtrack includes some rock and pop music.
The casting by Pamela Basker and Fern Champion is great as it features some notable small roles from Julie Brown as a seamstress, Jason Hervey as a brat kid who refuses to go to school, Julie Paris as a check-out girl, Andrew Paris as Kirkland’s brother, Arthur Batanides and Jackie Joseph as Kirkland’s parents, Jennifer Darling as the city mayor, Kenji Shintani as a sushi chef, Ed Herlihy as Fackler’s veteran partner Dooley, Rich Hall as blond street punk, and George R. Robertson as Chief Hurst who demands Captain Lassard to turn things around. Other notable small roles include George Gaynes as the academy’s supervisor Commandant Lassard who would give his younger brother Pete the six rookies he needs, Tim Kazurinsky as a wimpy merchant named Sweetchuck who is a frequent victim of Zed and his gang, and Lance Kinsey in a funny performance as Mauser’s assistant Sgt. Proctor.
Peter Van Norden is terrific as the snobbish Schtulman who eats dirty food and always has his big dog Lou around him while Colleen Camp is wonderful as Kirkland who shares Tackleberry’s love of firearms and violence. Art Metrano is excellent as Lieutenant Mauser as a scheming officer who wants to oust Captain Lassard so he can run the precinct and be in total power as his funny moments involve him being the victim of the pranks. Bruce Mahler is very good as Fackler as the accident-prone officer who manages to use that flaw to his unknowing advantage while Marion Ramsey is superb as Hooks as she is forced to sit behind a desk and give out codes until she does what is right in the film’s climax. David Graf is brilliant as Tackleberry who not only copes with having the perfect woman as his partner but also in the fact that isn’t really experienced with being with women. Bubba Smith is fantastic as Hightower as the giant who not only gets the job done but also prove to be the one person that Zed’s gang is afraid of. Michael Winslow is amazing as Jones as he provides a lot of humor with his sound effects while being a total ass-kicker with his martial arts skills.
Bobcat Goldthwait is hilarious as Zed as a gang leader who likes to cause chaos while having a very sensitive side that makes him a very odd antagonist. Art Metrano is marvelous as Mauser as a lieutenant who wants to get rid of Captain Lassard as he mocks the new rookies as he also has an immediate dislike towards Mahoney as he becomes a victim of Mahoney’s pranks. Howard Hesseman is phenomenal as Captain Pete Lassard, Commandant Lassard’s younger brother, who copes with the on-going gang war as well as knowing that he has little time to shape things up in his precinct. Finally, there’s Steve Guttenberg in a remarkable performance as Mahoney as a rookie cop who deals with his first assignment while finding humor in his many situations while dealing with Mauser as he knows what he is up to.
Police Academy 2: Their First Assignment is an excellent film from Jerry Paris as it’s one of the finest films of the franchise. Most notably for its cast, music soundtrack, and its offbeat humor that manages to keep things being wacky as well as entertaining. In the end, Police Academy 2: Their First Assignment is marvelous film from Jerry Paris.
Police Academy Films: Police Academy - Police Academy 3: Back in Training - Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol - Police Academy 5: Assignment Miami Beach - Police Academy 6: City Under Siege - Police Academy: Mission to Moscow
© thevoid99 2015
Based on the novel by Horace McCoy, They Shoot Horses, Don’t They? is the story of a people trying to win a dance marathon during the Great Depression with a power-hungry emcee urging them to continue. Directed by Sydney Pollock and screenplay by Robert E. Thompson and James Poe, the film is a study of people who are desperate to win this dance marathon in the hope of winning $1,500 during a troubled time where people are clinging to hope. Starring Jane Fonda, Michael Sarrazin, Susannah York, Bruce Dern, Bonnie Bedelia, Red Buttons, and Gig Young. They Shoot Horses, Don’t They? is a harrowing and evocative film from Sydney Pollock.
