Cat Ballou (1965)

Simply Perfect

Really Surprised!

Good story, Not enough for a whole film

A Major Disappointment

RELEASED IN 1965 and directed by Elliot Silverstein, "Cat Ballou" stars Jane Fonda as Cat(herine) Ballou who's family ranch near Wolf City, Colorado, is being threatened by a railroad mogul and his cronies in town. She sends for gunfighter Kid Shelleen (Lee Marvin), but unfortunately discovers he's a drunkard. Tom Nardini, Michael Callan & Dwayne Hickman round off Cat's gang of corruption-fighters. Meanwhile, two minstrels comically sing The Ballad of Cat Ballou in between scenes (Nat King Cole & Stubby Kaye).This is a likable Western comedy with several highlights in the mold of "The Duchess and the Dirtwater Fox" (1976), "Texas Across the River" (1966), "Support Your Local Sheriff" (1969) and "Maverick" (1994), but it's the least of these IMHO. While the cast is formidable and appealing, the story never really grabbed me. However, if you're a Fonda devotee this is a must because she never looked better, being young and adorable. It's also mandatory for Marvin fans as he hams it up in two roles. The somewhat quirky score is notable and the locations are superb. THE FILM RUNS 95 minutes and was shot in Canon City, Colorado, as well as Burbank (Wolf City exteriors) and Hollywood (interiors), California. WRITERS: Walter Newman & Frank Pierson wrote the script based on Roy Chanslor's novel. GRADE: C+ (5.5/10)

"Cat Ballou" is ostensibly a comedy, but there are long stretches without any laughs. In some of those stretches sad (instead of funny) things happen; in others, the film tries for laughs but fails. The photography is nice, Jane Fonda is stunning, the songs by Nat King Cole and Stubby Kaye (functioning like a sort of Greek Chorus) are catchy, but the film on the whole is a misfire. Tom Nardini is very likable as the Indian, but the other two male leads are interchangeable, and Lee Marvin gives an amusing though hardly Oscar-caliber performance. Hey, a lot of people swear by this film, so you may well enjoy it - I didn't. ** out of 4.

Two things saved "Cat Balou" from being a washout and box office flop. The ballad-singing duo of Nat King Cole and Stubby Kaye, narrate the movie with catchy ballad verses. And Lee Marvin gives a hilarious and frightening Oscar-winning double performance as Kid Shelleen and his bad brother, Strawn. The rest of the cast are fair, but nothing stands out. Jane Fonda is OK as Cat Balou, although she's not very convincing in her serious parts. Michael Callan and Dwayne Hickman are young guys, real tenderfeet and out of place in the West. But, their roles as Clay and Jed don't deliver many laughs.This film may reach a sort of cult following for Marvin's portrayal of the drunken Shelleen. Two scenes will always come to mind from this movie. The first is Marvin's socking and knocking a standing horse to the ground. The second is his and his horse's snoozing as they lean against a building. That and the singing duo raise this film above the level of boredom or ho-hum.

The movie starts with Catherine 'Cat' Ballou (Jane Fonda) about to be hanged. Then it flashes back to when she boards a train to Wolf City, Wyoming and her father Frankie Ballou (John Marley). She's a prim schoolteacher. For a reason that she doesn't even know, she helps Uncle Jed (Dwayne Hickman) free his nephew Clay Boone (Michael Callan) from the sheriff. The Wolf City Development Corporation is scheming to take over her father's water rights. He only has one ranch hand Jackson Two-Bears (Tom Nardini). They are threatened by metal-nosed gunfighter Tim Strawn (Lee Marvin). Clay and Jed show up at a town dance and join Cat. She hires legendary Kid Shelleen (Lee Marvin again) but he's a hopeless drunk. When Strawn kills Cat's father, the town protects him. Cat takes matters into her own hands.This tries to reinvent the western genre. It does a terrific job at that. Fonda continues with her sexy naive kitten bit and move right into gun toting wildcat. She has shown her comic timing. The standout is Lee Marvin. He doesn't just do double duty but he has some of the best lines and does great comic drunk acting. This is fun action western.