They Shoot Horses, Don't They? (1969)

Jane Fonda
directed by Sidney Pollack

Fonda and Sarrazin, defying our expectations

It's hard to watch really old movies for too long.  The dialogue and acting was better during the days of the studio system, but I find I can't relate to the characters so well.  1969 was a while back too, but it's still a refreshingly modern change from my usual fare.

Jane Fonda can be wooden, but intellectually she's solid. She always knows where she's going, even she's not the most expressive gal on the planet.  I've always enjoyed her work.  I especially liked her costar, pretty boy Michael Sarrazin.

Novels can be silly which is why I've stopped reading them.  I realize this one is trying to be provocative and emotional and dramatic, but it's still silly.  If the main character wanted to commit a crime, he could have been a little smarter about it.  Jane Fonda seemed angry, not unhappy, but then again, as I've mentioned before, I've never really thought she was a very good actress (she just picks good movies!).

By the end, I wonder why I'd even bothered watching this film. It left me feeling cheated and depressed.  Frankly, there are plenty of times I've wanted to "get off the carousel"; I've been angry and bitter like Fonda before, but then I go and try to find things to make me happy.  No, I don't think this is a world where we should be having children.  What's Pollack's point?

The way he tied it all into one big metaphor at the end was pretty cool.