History Film / CatBallou

[[quoteright:310:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/jane-fonda-cat-ballou-10_8650.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:310:Where did she go wrong?]]

Cat, posing as a SoiledDove, confronts town boss and head of Wolf City Development, Sir Harry Percival (Reginald Denny). A struggle ensues, Sir Harry is killed, and Cat is sentenced to be hanged on the gallows. Shellen falls off the wagon and as Cat is led up the gallows stairs he sits on his horse (who looks as drunk as his rider!) as both lean against a building.

* BlackAndGrayMorality: The ''only'' reason Cat became an outlaw was due to the townspeople's indifference to her father's murder. As such, since she can't get justice ''within'' the law, she goes for vengance ''outside'' of it.

* DrunkenMaster: Kid Shelleen shakes too much with the [=DTs=] when he is sober to hit anything, and when he's drunk he staggers and stumbles so much he can hardly hold a gun. But for a short time, after he's had a few drinks, but before he gets drunk, he is again the deadly accurate, fast shooting gunfighter he used to be. Unfortunately this time only lasts for a few minutes.

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. Shellen drunkenly shoots up the town as her gang then spirits her away in a daring rescue. Close credits with the gang happily riding away as drunken Kid Shellen tries desperately to stay on his horse.

Also features Stubby Kaye and, in his last on-screen movie appearance, Music/NatKingCole.

* GreekChorus: Stubby Kaye and Nat King Cole serve as one.

* EyePatchOfPower: Parodied by Strawn's tin nose. Also used for a "I'd be more afraid of the guy who gave him that scar" ShoutOut to the SevenSamurai & MagnificentSeven

* ComicallyMissingThePoint: Shelleen completely misunderstands why the room is full of candles... at a funeral. [[CrowningMomentOfFunny He even starts singing]] ''HappyBirthdayToYou''.

* TheOner: The square dance was shot in one take, but cuts were added afterwards.

* ActingForTwo: Lee Marvin plays the washed-up gunfighter, Kid Shelleen, and the hired killer Tim Strawn.

Cat, posing as a “soiled dove”, confronts town boss and head of Wolf City Development, Sir Harry Percival (Reginald Denny). A struggle ensues, Sir Harry is killed, and Cat is sentenced to be hanged on the gallows. Shellen falls off the wagon and as Cat is led up the gallows stairs he sits on his horse (who looks as drunk as his rider!) as both lean against a building.

* TheAllegedHorse: Kid Shelleen's horse, who is apparently as drunk as he is.

* OutlawTown: Hole in the Wall

* SiblingRivalry

* BookSafe

* {{Schoolmarm}}

* LogoJoke

* InMediasRes: The movie starts with them singing about Cat's impending execution.

Also features Stubby Kaye and, in his last on-screen movie appearance, Nat "King" Cole.

* DrunkenMaster: Kid Shellen shakes too much with the [=DTs=] when he is sober to hit anything, and when he's drunk he staggers and stumbles so much he can hardly hold a gun. But for a short time, after he's had a few drinks, but before he gets drunk, he is again the deadly accurate, fast shooting gunfighter he used to be. Unfortunately this time only lasts for a few minutes.

''Cat Ballou'' is a 1965 comedic {{Western}} starring JaneFonda and Creator/LeeMarvin.

''Cat Ballou'' is a 1965 comedic {{Western}} starring JaneFonda and LeeMarvin.

Catherine “Cat” Ballou (Fonda), an aspiring schoolteacher, is traveling home by train to Wolf City, Wyoming, to see her rancher father, Frankie Ballou (John Marley). While en route she unwittingly helps accused cattle rustler Clay Boone (Michael Callan) escape the sheriff (Bruce Cabot), when Boone's Uncle Jed (Dwayne 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 young Indian boy, Jackson Two-Bears (Tom Nardini). Clay and Jed appear and are talked into reluctantly helping Catherine. She also sends a letter and $50 to legendary gunfighter Kid Shelleen (LeeMarvin) to hire him to come and help protect her father from fast-drawing Tim Strawn (also Marvin), alias Silvernose, the hired killer who is threatening Frankie.

[[caption-width-right:310: Where did she go wrong? ]]

Cat posing as a “soiled dove”, confronts town boss and head of Wolf City Development, Sir Harry Percival (Reginald Denny). A struggle ensues, Sir Harry is killed, and Cat is sentenced to be hanged on the gallows. Shellen falls off the wagon and as Cat is led up the gallows stairs he sits on his horse (who looks as drunk as his rider!) as both lean against a building.

* DrunkenMaster: Kid Shellen shakes to much with the [=DTs=] when he is sober to hit anything, and when he's drunk he staggers and stumbles so much he can hardly hold a gun. But for a short time, after he's had a few drinks, but before he gets drunk, he is again the deadly accurate, fast shooting gunfighter he used to be. Unfortunately this time only lasts for a few minutes.
* EyePatchOfPower: parodied by Strawn's tin nose. Also used for a "I'd be more afraid of the guy who gave him that scar" ShoutOut to the SevenSamurai & MagnificentSeven

!!Contains examples of:

* RailroadBaron: Sir Harry Percival owner of the Wolf City Development Corporation. So much so that he allowed to have Cat's father murder without the town batting an eye.

* ProtagonistJourneyToVillain

* RailroadBaron

Catherine “Cat” Ballou (JaneFonda), an aspiring schoolteacher, is traveling home by train to Wolf City, Wyoming, to see her rancher father, Frankie Ballou (John Marley). While en route she unwittingly helps accused cattle rustler Clay Boone (Michael Callan) escape the sheriff (Bruce Cabot), when Boone's Uncle Jed (Dwayne 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 young Indian boy, Jackson Two-Bears (Tom Nardini). Clay and Jed appear and are talked into reluctantly helping Catherine. She also sends a letter and $50 to legendary gunfighter Kid Shelleen (LeeMarvin) to hire him to come and help protect her father from fast-drawing Tim Strawn (also Marvin), alias Silvernose, the hired killer who is threatening Frankie.