Cat Ballou

I watched Cat Ballou again the other day after a gap of over 35 years. A spoof western, definitely. That Lee Marvin should not have won the Oscar? No way. It is far more difficult to carry off a role in what is obviously a pastiche than to excel in a serious dramatic part. Lee Marvin plays it to perfection. Watch his face in the bar scene in the hole in the wall, desperately trying to catch the moment to propose a toast - "I'll drink to that!". It's brilliant. This film has to be watched in the context of its time. It is no good trying to compare it to today's special effects dominated blockbusters or Pixar animations. The semi-musical format was innovative, and remains so today. Cat Ballou is a perfect example of 60's "cool".

Cat Ballou is a movie spoof unlike any other, and a great parody of the Western film genre. Jane Fonda appears in one of her most playful film roles ("Barbarella" is another light and funny Fonda classic), and Lee Marvin gives one of his finest film performances (he won his Oscar for his dual roles). Add to this mix a wondrous soundtrack, with Nat King Cole and Stubby Kaye as minstrels of sorts who stroll and sing throughout, making the film almost seem like a musical; an outstanding supporting cast including Michael Callan (who later appeared on TV's "One Life to Live"), and Dwayne Hickman (TV's Dobie Gillis), and the result is this hilarious, thoroughly entertaining film that was nominated for five Academy Awards (Marvin was the sole winner).

Catherine Ballou (Fonda)is a recently graduated-from-school schoolteacher returning home to live with her father on his ranch, but he is gunned down upon her arrival. She enlists the help of a loyal ranch-hand, a couple of outlaws, and most notably, a has-been gunman by the name of Kid Sheleen (Marvin) to help her get revenge. The result is a thoroughly enjoyable film that still stands up today, and Lee Marvin stealing the entire film in his amazing dual role performance as both Tim Strong and Kid Sheleen. Lee Marvin alone makes the film well worth seeing.

The dialogue is great. Take this exchange as an example:

Jackson Two-Bears: "Kid, Kid, what a time to fall off the wagon. Look at your eyes." Kid Sheleen: "What's wrong with my eyes?" Jackson Two-Bears: "Well they're red; bloodshot." Kid Sheleen: "You ought to see 'em from my side."

I was thrilled when the widescreen special edition of this long-time favorite of mine came out in 2003, and on DVD. I have the soundtrack on vinyl, but I have always wished that it would come out on CD; Nat King Cole is one of my all-time favorite singers, and his rendition of "They'll Never Make Me Cry" always makes me...anyway. This film still hasn't lost any of its humor or fun with the passing of time, and stays on of my personal "top ten list" of comedy.

I have always enjoyed the tour-de-force effort of Lee Marvin in this movie. There are a series of scenes that make it an utter delight. When the rear of the stagecoach is opened and the crumpled up gunslinger rolls out on the ground, we know it's going to be a tough ride. When they get him sobered up enough to show his skill and in a demonstration of shooting, he misses the barn. He and his horse leaning against a building, both of them apparently drunk. Kid's rendition of Happy Birthday at the funeral of Cat's father. The ongoing chorus of "The Ballad of Cat Ballou" with Stubby Kaye and Nat "King" Cole. The scene where Kid Schelleen is bathed and preened in preparation for the big showdown is a classic. It's so much fun from beginning to end. This is a feel-good movie which never needs to be taken seriously.

This HAS to be one of Jane Fonda's favorite movies: she gets to be both shy naive ingenue and rip roaring Western leader of an outlaw gang. Her outlawing is beautifully justified as the evil town members plot to take over her father's spread and finally have him killed. All are in on the plot/take, including the sheriff, a ne'er do well planted in the job. There are many similarities to 'Silverado', an equally well acted ensemble tour de force. Whoever did Lee Marvin's drunken riding, mostly out of the saddle, close to the ground, did a superior riding job. And if it was Lee himself, more credit to him. He got the Oscar and justifiably so. Under the comedy was the message concerning the sheep-like behavior of 'respectable, middle-class people', the wicked townfolk, bankrolled by the Wolf Company (love these names). Katherine Ballou, the respectable lovely schoolmistress, goes bad as the 'nice' people show themselves to be worse than the outlaws. Hole-in-the-Wall outlaws are allowed to live there undisturbed because the scion of the Wolfe company (who is responsible for having Jane's father shot and whom Jane shoots) lets them alone. They existed safely 'under the radar', but they want to put Jane et al out, because her gang's actions make them visible. Reminds me of many Massachusetts politicians, as well as Whitey Bulger.

The 'Indian's' comments are hilarious, expecially about Custer, spoken as he is surrounded by neatly dressed town thugs. It's an up-to-date funny tale with a social morale. You get the lesson without the moralizing. I loved it, and so glad I bought it.

A good and nice movie concerning a school teacher named Cat Ballou (Jane Fonda) , when the family farm is being threatened by the railroad she becomes a bandit to avenge her father's (John Marley) death , creating an outlaw group formed by a motley and butcher team ( Michael Callan , Tom Nardini and others) . Later on , she engages a boozy gunfighter (wonderfully interpreted by Lee Marvin) and they 'll take on a number of villains and other nasties (led by Reginald Denny) that have a hired gun , a murderer with an artificial nose ( also played by Marvin). A gen-u-ine movie first! A way-out whopper! A funny movie? You bet it is...! It's That Way-Out Whopper Of A Funny Western...A She-Bang To End All She-Bangs! . Cat Ballou Is All A Ball! .Is this the way to make a funny movie...? You bet it is!

It's a bemusing western with adjusted runtime in which there's humor , tongue-in-cheek , spoof , irony , shootouts , it's fast-moving and that's why isn't boring but funny . Lee Marvin won a deserved Oscar Academy Award for his double playing as a drunken , sympathetic cowboy and his twin , an odious , ominous killer , as Marvin is the best . The support cast is awesome , thus appearing habitual Western secondaries : J. C. Flippen , Arthur Hunnicut and Bruce Cabot . While Nat King Cole and Stubby Kaye play splendidly two singing minstrels . Frank de Vol (Robert Aldrich's usual musician) soundtrack is jolly and lively .The film was well directed by Elliot Silverstein , he will subsequently achieve great success with ¨A man called horse¨. Rating : Better than average. Well worth seeing. . Essential and indispensable watching for Lee Marvin and Jane Fonda fans.