cat ballou

Lee Marvin

Michael Callan

Dwayne Hickman

Tom Nardini

John Marley

Nat 'King' Cole

Stubby Kaye Release date(s) June 24, 1965 Running time 97 min. Language English

Cat Ballou is a 1965 comedy-western film which tells the story of a woman who hires a famous gunman to protect her father's ranch, and later to avenge his murder, but finds that the man she hires is not what she expected. The movie stars Jane Fonda, Lee Marvin (in his Oscar-winning dual role), Michael Callan, Dwayne Hickman, Nat King Cole, and Stubby Kaye.

The screenplay was adapted by Walter Newman and Frank Pierson from the novel by Roy Chanslor. The film was directed by Elliot Silverstein. The novel was originally a serious Western, but was turned into a comedy for the movie. Contents [hide] 1 Synopsis 2 Cast 3 Influence 4 Awards and honors 4.1 Awards won 4.2 Nominations 4.3 Honors 5 Background 6 Goofs 7 References 8 External links //

Synopsis

Catherine Ballou (Fonda), an aspiring schoolteacher, is traveling by train to Wolf City, Wyoming, to visit her rancher father, Frankie Ballou (Marley). En route she unwittingly helps accused cattle rustler Clay Boone (Callan) elude his captor, the sheriff, when Boone's Uncle Jed (Hickman), a drunkard disguised as a preacher, distracts the lawman. She reaches the ranch to find that the Wolf City Development Corporation is trying to take the ranch away from her father, whose only defender is an educated Indian, Jackson Two-Bears (Nardini). Clay and Jed appear and reluctantly offer to help Catherine. She also hires legendary gunfighter Kid Shelleen (Marvin) to come and help protect her father from fast-drawing Tim Strawn (also Marvin), alias Silvernose, the hired killer who is threatening Frankie. Shelleen arrives, a drunken stumblebum who is literally unable to hit the side of a barn when he shoots and whose pants fall down when he draws his gun. Strawn kills Frankie, but the townspeople refuse to bring him to justice, and Catherine becomes a revenge-seeking outlaw known as Cat Ballou. She and her four associates rob a train carrying the Wolf City payroll, and Shelleen, inspired by his love for Cat (unrequited because she loves Clay), shapes up and kills Strawn. Later he casually admits that Strawn was his brother. Cat poses as a prostitute and confronts town boss Sir Harry Percival, owner of the Wolf City Development Corporation. A struggle ensues; Sir Harry is killed; and Cat is sentenced to be hanged on the gallows. Just after the noose is placed around her neck, Uncle Jed (again as a fake preacher) cuts the rope as she falls through the trapdoor. Her gang then spirits her away in a daring rescue.

Cast Jane Fonda as Cat Ballou Lee Marvin as Kid Shelleen and Tim Strawn Michael Callan as Clay Boone Dwayne Hickman as Jed Nat King Cole as The Sunrise Kid Stubby Kaye as Professor Sam the Shade

(Cole and Kaye, billed onscreen simply