The Man Who Loved Cat Dancing (1973)

Western story about a defiant wife who leaves her husband to take up riding with outlaws.

Director:

Richard C. Sarafian

Writers:

Marilyn Durham (novel), Eleanor Perry (screenplay)

Stars:

Burt Reynolds, Sarah Miles, Lee J. Cobb

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Burt Reynolds	...	Jay Grobart
Sarah Miles	...	Catherine Crocker
Lee J. Cobb	...	Harvey Lapchance
Jack Warden	...	Dawes
George Hamilton	...	Willard Crocker
Bo Hopkins	...	Billy Bowen
Robert Donner	...	Dub
Sandy McPeak	...	Ben (as Sandy Kevin)
Larry Littlebird	...	Iron Knife
Nancy Malone	...	Sudie
Jay Silverheels	...	The Chief
Jay Varela	...	Charlie Bent
Owen Bush	...	Conductor
Larry Finley	...	Bartender
Sutero García Jr.	...	Dream Speaker

Storyline

It's the frontier of the American west. Shortly after being released from prison where he was serving a sentence for murder, Jay Grobart leads a band of three other men - Dawes, Billy Bowen and an Indian named Charlie Bent - in robbing a train of its Wells Fargo cargo of $100,000. In their escape from the scene, they are forced out of circumstance to take along a young woman, against her will, she who is traveling by herself on horseback. She is Mrs. Willard Crocker - Catherine - who they can tell is wealthy. Although they do not let her go, she vows that she will not tell the authorities about them as she, like them, is running away. As Jay, the leader, embarks on his next mission - to fulfill the reason he stole the money - he has the problems of managing the three men, Dawes and Billy in particular who are solely out for their own selfish wants which now includes their carnal wants with Catherine, and making sure Catherine does not escape. But as they spend more time together and ...

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Plot Keywords:

female nudity | outlaw | unlikely romance | interracial relationship | train tracks | 

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Taglines:

Two women loved him. One died for him. One killed for him.

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Genres:

Romance | Western

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

31 October 1973 (Sweden)

Also Known As:

A férfi, aki szerette a táncoló macskát

Filming Locations:

Ajo, Arizona, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

114 min 123 min (Turner library print)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In December 1972 screenwriter William W. Norton was contracted to re-write Eleanor Perry's script. His work is uncredited. His filing of a grievance with the Writers Guild of America for the inclusion of a screen credit apparently failed due to a delay in the filing of his complaint.

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Goofs

During the opening credits Catherine is riding "side saddle" but her legs are both on the right side of the horse, which is the "wrong" side for an English ladies' saddle. The film is flopped in this shot as later she has her legs on the proper side.

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Quotes

Jay: [Regarding Charlie] He wanted to be a leader like his father. He ended up being an imitation white man.

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Connections

Referenced in Thunderbolt and Lightfoot (1974)

User Reviews

A Western with some depth and sensitivity

This movie came up tonight on the television and though I had not seen it, I had certainly heard of it. The reviews almost scared me off, but happily I read some favourable ones and and took a chance.

Bert Reynolds gave a first class performance with subtlety, dignity and a quiet strength. His portrayal of a flawed but somewhat principled man with an unfortunate past was excellent and made me want to know more of the back story which I'm sure was in the book. Maybe it is that the book was written Marilyn Durham, and that the screenplay was by Eleanor Perry that gave the movie it's strength and tenderness ?

The treatment of the Shoshone and other First Nation people was very good; they spoke in full sentences with humour intelligence and wit. They came through as the three dimensional people they are instead of the mere shadows that most movies of the time showed them in; something long over due in Hollywood.

There were many good performances here, it is a movie worth seeing and deserves a serious place in the genre.