Cat Ballou (1965)

A young schoolteacher turns into an outlaw to avenge her murdered father.

Director:

Elliot Silverstein

Writers:

Walter Newman (screenplay), Frank Pierson (screenplay) (as Frank R. Pierson)

Stars:

Jane Fonda, Lee Marvin, Michael Callan

Won 1 Oscar. Another 9 wins & 15 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Lee Marvin	...	Shelleen / Strawn
Jane Fonda	...	Cat Ballou
Michael Callan	...	Clay Boone
Dwayne Hickman	...	Jed
Nat 'King' Cole	...	Shouter / Sunrise Kid (as Nat King Cole)
Stubby Kaye	...	Shouter / Sam the Shade
Tom Nardini	...	Jackson Two-Bears
John Marley	...	Frankie Ballou
Reginald Denny	...	Sir Harry Percival
Jay C. Flippen	...	Sheriff Cardigan
Arthur Hunnicutt	...	Butch Cassidy
Bruce Cabot	...	Sheriff Maledon
Burt Mustin	...	Accuser
Paul Gilbert	...	Train Messenger

Storyline

Cat(herine) Ballou's family farm is being threatened by the Rail Road. She sends for Kid Shelleen, finding him to be the drunkest gunfighter in the west. When her father is killed by the rail road magnate's gunman, she vows to fight on. Shelleen manages to ride sideways in several scenes, while minstrels sing the ballad of Cat Ballou in between scenes.

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Plot Keywords:

death of father | confession | mirror | looking at oneself in a mirror | hanging | 

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Taglines:

It's That Way-Out Whopper Of A Funny Western...A She-Bang To End All She-Bangs!

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Genres:

Comedy | Romance | Western

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Official Sites:

Sony Movie Channel [United States]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

24 June 1965 (USA)

Also Known As:

Balladen om Cat Ballou

Filming Locations:

Custer County, Colorado, USA

Box Office

Gross USA:

$20,666,667

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures, Harold Hecht Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

97 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Eastman Color)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Lee Marvin and his horse leaning against the building is a direct sendup of the Frederick Remington sculpture "The End of the Trail."

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Goofs

The hot "steam" vapors which emerge from Kid Shelleen's bath should rise rather than sink as they are ostensibly lighter than air; they sink because they are actually heavier-than-air dry ice vapors.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Professor Sam The Shade, The Sunrise Kid: [singing] Well now friends just lend an ear for you're now about to hear the Ballad of Cat Ballou.

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Crazy Credits

The Torch Lady in the Columbia Pictures logo changes her gown to Cat Ballou's cowboy outfit and fires her guns several times.

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Connections

Featured in AFI Life Achievement Award: A Tribute to Jane Fonda (2014)

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Soundtracks

Shall We Gather at the River?
(uncredited)
Written by Robert Lowry
Sung by the Townsfolk

User Reviews

Cat Ballou

Henry Fonda's daughter, Jane, came into her own. As Cat Ballou, she stars in one of the funniest movies ever made. Westerns were no longer in vogue, and this parody found its niche. Jane is beautiful, in the prime of innocence. Dwayne Hickman adds dialogue that is still quotable. "On the run, ma'am, hidin' out in the crowd." My roommate at college saw this movie so many times, he knew the script by heart. He recited it line for line one night lying on his bed. I was amazed! He had a picture of Jane Fonda taped on the ceiling above him. I can still hear "The Ballad of Cat Ballou." "It's a hangin' day in Wolf City, Wyomin'...Wolf City, Wyomin' 1894." Lee Marvin won a Best Actor Oscar for his dual roles as Kid Shelleen and Tim Strawn.