I love this movie so much

It's entirely possible that sending the audience out feeling lousy was intentional

It's a good bad... and worth a popcorn matinée. While it's easy to lament what could have been...

This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

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 starts off with Nat King Cole and Stubby Kaye singing to the camera, alongside their banjos, telling the audience of the Ballad of Cat Ballou. It's a perfectly adorable way to start the western comedy, and the singers return throughout the film to keep the audience company and sing a reprise or two.Jane Fonda is the title character, the cutest little lady in the Wild West. If you've never seen a Jane Fonda movie, this is a great one to start with. She's so cute, you won't be able to keep yourself from grinning and giggling. While on the train home to her father's ranch in Wyoming, she accidentally helps Michael Callan escape from the sheriff, so when she asks him to stay on at the ranch to help protect her father, he agrees. Her dad, John Marley, is dodging a hired gunman, and Jane does her best to hire bodyguards to protect him.Lee Marvin won an extremely undeserved Oscar in 1966 for his dual role in Cat Ballou. He plays both the hit-man hired to kill Marley as well as the drunken gunslinger Jane hires to protect him. Rod Steiger was nominated for The Pawnbroker that year, and once you've seen that performance, you might not ever forgive Lee Marvin for stealing his Oscar.Nevertheless, Cat Ballou is a very cute movie, and a must-see for Jane Fonda fans. She's two tons of cute, and I guarantee you'll be humming the title song long after the credits roll!

What a weird title for a film. Cat Ballou what does that mean? Jane Fonda plays an attractive young woman Catherine Ballou on her way home from finishing school to become a local Schoolmarm and live with her father Frank (John Marley) on his ranch. When boarding a train the young verdant lass is introduced to a man of the cloth Dwayne Hickman AKA Jed,who is inebriated and says, "I'm as drunk as a skunk." He really isn't a drunken Priest but a diversion to get his nephew cattle rustler Clay Boone(Michael Callan) free from the Lawman (Bruce Cabot). Jed and Cat free his nephew and escort Cat to her Father's ranch. When Cat shows up at her Father's ranch escorted by Jed and Clay they learn that the Wolf City Development company is scheming to take over Frank Ballou's ranch. First by throwing manure down his well and being threatened by gold Nose-less marauder Tim Strawn. Hired hand Native American with no knowledge of the Hebrew language Jackson Two-Bears (Tom Nardini)plus her two criminal escorts are reluctant to protect Frank and his ranch. Cat hires a Gunslinger. Over-the-hill or under the bottle Kid Sheleen played to perfection by Lee Marvin. Sheleen stumbles to the ranch a drunken bum. His pants fall down every time he draws his gun. He can't even hit the barn at close range. The aforementioned Tim Strawn is Sheleen's evil twin brother also played by Marvin. Frank gets killed by Strawn as the townspeople sit back and let it happen. The memorial service was provided spontaneously by Sheleen as he blows out the candles next to the coffin after he sings Happy Birthday. Cat and her new gang go into action despite their weak link Sheleen. All he wants is a drink. They start by robbing a train. The bath scene on the train as Shellen removes the towel to expose the dissatisfied rider was amusing. This leads the gang to a neighboring town where Cat poses as a prostitute to con the head developer of Wolf City the dishonorable Sir Harry Percival (Reginald Denny). Meanwhile Sheleen sobers up, Baths and shaves darns his new white uniform making the Lone Ranger look like a cub scout. Will the gang succeed? Will Sheleen finish off his dastardly twin? On a technical note I like the way the story is intertwined by two minstrel singers Stubby Kaye and Nat King Cole singing the legend of Cat Ballou between scenes. Stubby Kaye who is notably remembered in Guys And Dolls as Nicely Nicely and a Game show host at the time makes a nice book end to the sickly Nat King Cole Battling Lung Cancer in the prime of his life age 45. Although Jane Fonda is the star out of convenience to match the title, Lee Marvin give an Oscar winning performance. Let's not forget his Horse who's memorable leg crossed rivals Sharon Stone's for originality. The screen writing is farcical yet Marvin gets philosophical when he explains getting beat up. "At first you don't think you can stand to get hit,then you realize you can take it 'cause the blood don't matter, and you know your gonna live. It's a great gift I'm going to give you- to know it don't hurt to fight!" Moreover Sheleen explains how the west has changed with commercialization and amusement attractions springing up. Sheleen mentions to paraphrase "That in Tombstone there building a roller rink they laid out over the OK Corral. I use to work for the Buffalo Bill rodeo show and save stagecoach riders from bad guys and Drunkin Injuns in the nick of time twice a day, Three times on Saturday." Great writing throughout and the unconventional horse riding brought the audience to a howling crescendo as Marvin brings his humor to the forefront. It was also great to see Dwayne Hickman co-starring in this movie. Conjured up fond memories of the Many Loves of Dobie Gillis from the earlier part of that decade. Also sadly, honorable mention to our singers Stubby and Nat King Cole as Nat looked weathered and way ahead of his years coughing between scenes batteling lung cancer which took his life a few month after filming. After watching Mel Brooks Version of the old West "Blazing Saddles" this movie in my opinion is much funnier with political correctness I think? Time for my Bath where's my towel?

There have been other comedy westerns since Cat Ballou, and I suppose that there were comedy moments in other westerns before, especially musicals. But Cat Ballou was unusual in the way it played so much for laughs within the framework of a traditional western, and also in the way linking narration was provided by an on-screen singing Greek chorus in the shapes of Stubby Kaye and Nat "King" Cole.Jane Fonda does an excellent job as the central character, playing the comedy absolutely straight (as she did so effectively a couple of years later in Barbarella), but the film is totally stolen by Lee Marvin in twin roles. His Tim Strawn is truly sinister (helped enormously by Frank DeVol's superb music cues), but the drunk Kid Shelleen is the part in which he shines: it might well have been written for Marvin, for it plays to all his strengths.This film is great fun.