Review of Cat Ballou (1965) by Daniel K — 30 Sep 2007

"Cat Ballou" follows the story of Catherine "Cat" Ballou in the old west as she turns from her training as a school teacher to become an outlaw. The film incorporates many of the clichés of westerns including a corrupt sheriff that fails to prevent illegal activities and typical revenge story, but succeeds by taking a humorous approach to the material.

Jane Fonda leads the cast with a solid performance as Cat Ballou. Lee Marvin is famous for playing two roles in this movie, that of Kid Shelleen, a hired gunslinger, and Tim Strawn, the film's chief villain. His performance as Kid Shelleen is the more notable of the two since it gets a lot more screen time. Lee Marvin gives a skilled and hilarious performance in the role. The supporting cast was notable, particularly Tom Nardini, who had some memorable lines as Jackson (particularly when he corrects Cat's grammar), John Marley as Cat's father Frank and Michael Callan as Clay Boone.

The film's story is well-placed with consistent humor punctuated with some dramatic moments. Also notable is the inclusion of intermittent segments of catchy banjo music and songs performed by Nat King Cole and Stubby Kale. The best of these performances was the song "The Ballad of Cat Ballou" that introduces the film. "Cat Ballou" is an amusing version of the typical western story.