Cat Ballou - A Wild Lady Outlaw and her Gang

Lee Marvin said his horse deserved half his Oscar for his performance in Cat Ballou, and when you see that animal leaned up against the side of a building, looking just as drunk as his rider, you may be tempted to agree. A fun little western spoof, Cat Ballou has catchy tunes and campy performances, and it feels like the kind of movie everybody had a good time making. You’ll have a good time watching, too.

The Plot

Jane Fonda stars as Cat, whose plans to become a school teacher are derailed when local villain Tim Strawn, aka “Silvernose,” murders her father in a bid for his land.

With only her father’s faithful Indian ranch hand, Jackson Two Bears, at her side, Cat hires a couple of disreputable local outlaws to assist, and sends for a gunslinger of her own, Kid Shelleen (Lee Marvin in a double role as Silvernose and Shelleen.)

Unfortunately, Shelleen turns out to be a hopeless drunk who can’t shoot straight, and things go from bad to worse for Cat. Hijinks ensue and western clichés abound as Cat and her woebegone gang attempt to seek justice and pull off a daring train robbery. Shelleen cleans up for Cat’s sake and goes after Silvernose. Cat disguises herself as a floozy to gain access to Sir Harry Percival, the railroad baron behind the whole plot. She accidentally shoots him – which buys her a spot on the gallows. Can the gang rescue her in time?

Throughout, Nat King Cole and Stubby Kaye wander around as “shouters,” enjoyably singing Cat’s ballad and a few other songs in this not-quite-a-musical comedy.

The Cast of 'Cat Ballou'

Fonda is young and lovely as Cat, but Marvin pretty much steals this movie from everybody. He’s got a whiskey-over-gravel voice, dead-on timing and superb physical comedy. The scene where he sobers up, cleans up and puts on his gunfightin’ clothes is genius, and he’s actually quite scary in the role of the murderous Strawn.

Dwayne Hickman, of “Dobie Gillis” fame, does well as a faux preacher, a small-time outlaw who signs up with Cat’s gang. Michael Callan is somewhat less successful as his partner in cattle rustling who falls for Cat. Tom Nardini is delightful as Two Bears, getting off a couple of good one-liners about Custer and playing an earnest Sancho Panza to Marvin’s Don Quixote.

'Cat Ballou' - the Bottom Line

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences rarely gives out its top awards for comic performances, but Marvin deserved it for this movie.

It’s not high art, but it’s good fun, and everything a spoof ought to be. Give it a chance some night when you want to put your mind on hold and watch an entertaining send-up of the Western movie genre.

Recommended for You

If you liked Cat Ballou, you may like other Jane Fonda movies, such as Barbarella or Klute, as well as other western spoofs like Blazing Saddles.

'Cat Ballou' at a Glance:

Year: 1940, Color
Director: Elliot Silverstein
Running Time: 97 minutes
Studio: Columbia