Saturday, 1 February 2025

Movie Review: Cat Ballou (1965)


Genre: Comedy Western  
Director: Elliot Silverstein  
Starring: Jane Fonda, Lee Marvin  
Running Time: 96 minutes  

Synopsis: Outlaw Cat Ballou (Jane Fonda) is about to be hanged in Wolf City, Wyoming, and her story is recounted in flashback. While on a train trip, Cat meets dashing fugitive Clay Boone (Michael Callan), who is more of a romantic coward than an outlaw, and his uncle Jed (Dwayne Hickman). When she learns her father Frankie (John Marley) is being threatened, Cat hires legendary but perpetually drunk gunfighter Kid Shelleen (Lee Marvin) for protection. He teams up with Clay, Jed, and farm hand Jackson Two-Bears (Jack Nardini) to support Cat's quest for justice.

What Works Well: Unfolding to the banjo-driven Greek chorus music of "shouters" Nat King Cole and Stubby Kaye, Cat Ballou carries a bright twinkle in its eye. The story of a school teacher who resorts to crime as revenge for the fate of her father is a fine excuse to visit western movie landmarks, including gunfighters, a train robbery, a suspect lawman, a desperado hide-out, a large-scale brawl, and a land dispute. Director Elliott Silverstein prioritizes character-driven and situational humour, and uses long takes and plenty of camera motion to colourfully animate Cat's world. Jane Fonda brings a streak of tradition-busting feminism to the role, and Lee Marvin is a grizzled joy as the esoteric gunfighter who shoots better when drunk. His seemingly inebriated horse is not bad, either. 

What Does Not Work As Well: This is a series of episodic misadventures held together by the thinnest of plot threads, while Michael Callan as love interest Clay lacks presence in the company of Fonda and Marvin.

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



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