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
