thejcowboy22 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?

BA_Harrison A pair of banjo plucking street singers (Nat 'King' Cole and Stubby Kaye) recount the ballad of Cat Ballou (Jane Fonda), a sweet young school ma'am who becomes a vengeful outlaw after her father is killed on the orders of greedy city developer Sir Harry Percival (Reginald Denny). Riding into history with Cat are legendary drunken gunslinger Kid Shelleen (Lee Marvin), loyal injun ranch-hand Jackson Two-Bears (Tom Nardini), and a pair of wanted cattle rustlers, Clay Boone (Michael Callan) and his Uncle Jed (Dwayne Hickman).Cat Ballou trades heavily on Fonda's sex kitten appeal, but there's much more to the film than its coquettish star and her heavenly cleavage: the film also benefits from a wonderfully witty screenplay, superb direction from Elliot Silverstein, the amazing vocal talents of Cole and Kaye, and lively performances from all involved, most notably Marvin, who not only plays Kid Shelleen with impeccable comic timing, but also his wicked brother Strawn, a hired killer with a silver nose.There are plenty of memorable moments throughout this enjoyable comedy/western romp, but for my money the standout scenes are a lively barn-dance scene (executed with a single shot!), Kid Shelleen's training montage and his transformation from drunken bum to slick gunslinger, and Cat posing as a Mae West style vamp named Trixie, star Fonda simply oozing va-va-voom in a sexy, spangled dress designed to thrill.

Spikeopath Cat Ballou is directed by Elliot Silverstein and adapted to screenplay by Walter Newman and Frank Pierson from the novel The Ballad of Cat Ballou written by Roy Chanslor. It stars Jane Fonda, Lee Marvin, Michael Callan, Dwayne Hickman, Tom Nardini, John Marley, Nat King Cole and Stubby Kaye. Catherine Ballou (Fonda), a prim and proper school teacher wannabe, returns home to Wolf City to find her father at loggerheads with the local development corporation. When things get dreadfully serious, she decides to do something about it, putting herself at the head of a nutty gang, which brings her into contact with famed boozy gunfighter Kid Shelleen (Marvin).It's a quirky comedy Western, spoofing the Wild West while still containing some respect of the era. The tonal flows are patchy, as are the gags - both visually and orally, but it always entertains with honesty and ebullience. Fonda is simply beautiful and adorable, making Cat vulnerable but stoic as well, her waspish tongue delivering some great dialogue. Nardini as Indian Jackson Two-Bears also shines bright with some great comedy moments.Marvin owns the film though, in what was an Oscar winning performance, he plays a dual role, where the prominent character is a riotous booze hound, so something about life imitating art there! The locations are gorgeous and beautifully photographed, and the musical links to the story segments provided by Cole (sadly to pass away before the pic was released) and Kaye as wandering minstrels, prove to be jolly and nifty in equal measure.Throw in some gun play, a fun horse and a rollicking train robbery and you are good to go. Not all of it works, but the pluses far outnumber the minuses and fans of the leads get treasures unbound. 7/10

SnoopyStyle The movie starts with Catherine 'Cat' Ballou (Jane Fonda) about to be hanged. Then it flashes back to when she boards a train to Wolf City, Wyoming and her father Frankie Ballou (John Marley). She's a prim schoolteacher. For a reason that she doesn't even know, she helps Uncle Jed (Dwayne Hickman) free his nephew Clay Boone (Michael Callan) from the sheriff. The Wolf City Development Corporation is scheming to take over her father's water rights. He only has one ranch hand Jackson Two-Bears (Tom Nardini). They are threatened by metal-nosed gunfighter Tim Strawn (Lee Marvin). Clay and Jed show up at a town dance and join Cat. She hires legendary Kid Shelleen (Lee Marvin again) but he's a hopeless drunk. When Strawn kills Cat's father, the town protects him. Cat takes matters into her own hands.This tries to reinvent the western genre. It does a terrific job at that. Fonda continues with her sexy naive kitten bit and move right into gun toting wildcat. She has shown her comic timing. The standout is Lee Marvin. He doesn't just do double duty but he has some of the best lines and does great comic drunk acting. This is fun action western.