Cat Ballou (1965)

Director:

Elliot Silverstein

Writers:

Roy Chanslor (novel)
Walter Newman (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

24 June 1965 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Western

Tagline:

A gen-u-ine movie first! A way-out whopper! A funny movie? YOU BET IT IS...!

Plot:

A woman seeking revenge for her murdered father hires a famous gunman, but he's very different from what she expects.

Plot Keywords:

Revenge | Minstrel | Vengeance | Murder Of Father | Beautiful Woman

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 10 wins & 12 nominations

Cast

Jane Fonda	...	Catherine 'Cat' Ballou
Lee Marvin	...	Kid Shelleen / Tim Strawn
Michael Callan	...	Clay Boone
Dwayne Hickman	...	Jed
Nat 'King' Cole	...	Shouter (as Nat King Cole)
Stubby Kaye	...	Shouter
Tom Nardini	...	Jackson Two-Bears
John Marley	...	Frankie Ballou
Reginald Denny	...	Sir Harry Percival
Jay C. Flippen	...	Sheriff Cardigan
Arthur Hunnicutt	...	Butch Cassidy
Bruce Cabot	...	Sheriff Maledon
Burt Mustin	...	Accuser
Paul Gilbert	...	Train messenger

Runtime:

97 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:L | South Korea:12 | Finland:K-8 | Norway:12 | Sweden:11 | UK:PG | USA:Unrated | West Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Buckskin Joe Frontier Town & Railway - 1193 Fremont County Road 3A, Canon City, Colorado, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

At his acceptance of the Oscar, Lee Marvin opened by saying, "Half of this probably belongs to a horse out in the Valley somewhere".

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): When Catherine is on the train at the beginning, she addresses her teacher as "Mrs. Parker", but when talking to Jed a minute later she refers to her as "Miss Parker".

Quotes:

Cat: I thought you were lying.
Clay Boone: You mean I wasn't?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in There Goes My Baby (1994)

A modern, comedic western

One of the best modern westerns made that John Wayne wasn't in. Jane Fonda is great as the schoolmarm-turned-outlaw Cat Ballou. When she begins to seek vengeance against the railroad for her father's death, you believe she's really going to get them.

I don't have to say much about Lee Marvin's performance; it's perfect all the way. His dual role, where he plays Kid Shelleen and his evil brother, Tim Strawn, gives him the chance to really stretch his acting talents. When Marvin plays the drunken Shelleen, he's a comic delight. Even his horse looks drunk. When he plays Strawn, the screen sizzles. If you need a reason to see this movie, Lee Marvin should be the reason.

Michael Callan is fine as Jane Fonda's love interest, and Dwayne Hickman steals the scenes he's in as Callan's "uncle"; he's really good in this film. John Marley is pretty funny, also, and Cat's father; his views on the Indian nation are revolutionary, to say the least. Tom Nardini is wonderful as the hired hand who goes along on Cat's quest, none too willingly.

All in all, this is a tour-de-force of acting and writing. Sharp, witty, warm and action-packed, this is a film everyone should see at least once. I've seen it many times, and it's never lost its luster for me.