Sunday, April 16, 2023

Movie review - "Cat Ballou" (1965) ***1/2

 Sometimes films just click. I don't think hopes were that high for the Western but Jane Fonda proved to be a bright, engaging comedienne and the public loved Lee Marvin in a double role as a drunken gunfighter and his brother, an evil one - Marvin's role is actually smaller than I remembered. (Still... the Oscar?)

Tom Nardini is a likeable Indian, self deprecating, at a time when that was novel.  The female heroine was novel. The Greek chorus of singing bandits, Stubby Kaye and Nat King Cole works a treat. Michael Callan and Dwayne Hickman are a likable team and Callan a fun match for Fonda - he should've played more leading man to the female star parts. Fun script. Light touch.

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