Cat Ballou

Prim, proper and beautiful school teacher Jane Fonda (in the titled role) returns home to find that father John Marley is being threatened by some evil men in town who are looking to build a railroad through property that he refuses to sell. She sends for gunslinger Lee Marvin (in a hilarious and surprising Oscar-winning turn) to protect her father and her new friends (who have sorted pasts by the way). What she did not know is that Marvin is way past his prime and has turned into little more than an alcoholic lush. An assassin (Marvin again) with a fake nose does eventually get to Marley and now it is up to Fonda, Marvin and company to bring the men who killed her father to justice. Oh did I mention that the story is told via musical interludes by Nat King Cole and Stubby Kaye? "Cat Ballou" is a wild and uproarious movie that works really well due to its creative ideas. Part Western, part musical, part comedy and part drama, the movie creates a large jumble that actually works amazingly well. Marvin, easily doing the work of his career, dominates a movie that has many memorable elements to it. 4.5 out of 5 stars.