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Comedy western

Cat Ballou (1965): Cast, Ratings & Plot

Cat Ballou (1965) movie poster

Cat Ballou is a 1965 comedy western directed by Elliot Silverstein, starring Stubby Kaye, Nat 'King' Cole and Jane Fonda. It runs 1 hour 37 minutes. It won 1 Oscar, including Actor, and 3 awards in all. Critics gave it 90% on Rotten Tomatoes and 60 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 6.7/10.

IMDb rating
6.7/10
Rotten Tomatoes
90%
Oscar won
1
Metascore
60
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Cat Ballou (1965) movie poster
Released
Runtime
1h 37m (97 min)
Genres
Comedy , Romance , Western
Original language
English
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is Cat Ballou About?

The premise of Cat Ballou without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

A spirited young woman sets out to avenge her father’s murder in this quirky Western comedy. Seeking help, she reluctantly teams up with a disgraced gunman and a charismatic outlaw to confront the powerful land-development corporation behind the crime. As she pursues justice, Cat Ballou finds herself increasingly challenged and must face dangerous adversaries in her quest for retribution.

Cat Ballou Themes & Keywords

· 50 tags
  • train robbery
  • gunfighter
  • revenge
  • wyoming
  • native american
  • father daughter relationship
  • altered version of studio logo
  • western town
  • alcoholic
  • singing narrator
  • female protagonist
  • drunkenness
+38 more
  • death of father
  • based on novel
  • title spoken by character
  • character name in title
  • drunken horse
  • hideout
  • hole in the wall
  • brothel
  • brawl
  • target practice
  • murder of father
  • ballad
  • year 1894
  • fake nose
  • 19th century
  • barn dance
  • fistfight
  • alcoholism
  • murder
  • female outlaw
  • outlaw gang
  • horseback chase
  • corrupt sheriff
  • hired killer
  • 1890s
  • actor plays a dual role
  • intoxication
  • man in a bathtub
  • horse
  • quick draw
  • businessman
  • conspiracy
  • fratricide
  • intimidation
  • ranch
  • saved from hanging
  • screaming woman
  • told in flashback
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Cast & crew

Cat Ballou Cast

Stubby Kaye leads the cast, with Nat 'King' Cole and Jane Fonda. Directed by Elliot Silverstein; 10 actors are credited in all.

From the director

More from Elliot Silverstein

More films directed by Elliot Silverstein, best-rated first: A Man Called Horse, Flashfire, Fight for Life and Betrayed by Innocence.

Full filmography
Ratings

Cat Ballou Reviews & Ratings

Critics gave Cat Ballou 90% on Rotten Tomatoes and 60 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 6.7/10.

Plot

Cat Ballou Plot Summary

What happens in Cat Ballou from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 15 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 3-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

The Columbia torchbearer transforms into a lively animated figure, discarding her gown to become a spirited female gunslinger who draws her pistols and joyfully fires into the sky in every direction. Two balladeers, Professor Sam the Shade (Stubby Kaye) and the Sunrise Kid (Nat ‘King’ Cole), strumming their banjos, inform us through song that “you’re now about to hear the ballad of Cat Ballou” (Jane Fonda). A newly erected gallows stands ominously in the middle of town, undergoing tests with sandbags. As they stroll through the bustling streets, Sam and Sunrise reveal that Cat has already taken a life in Wolf City, Wyoming.

Full summary

The whole story of Cat Ballou, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Awards

Cat Ballou Awards & Nominations

Cat Ballou won 1 Oscar, including Actor, and 3 awards in all. Its biggest night was the Oscars 1966, with 1 win from 5 nominations.

3 wins13 nominations4 ceremonies

  • Academy Awards (Oscars) logo
    Oscars 1966 1 win · 5 nominations
    • Won Actor – Lee Marvin
    • Nominated Film Editing
    • Nominated Music (Scoring of Music—adaptation or treatment)
    • Nominated Music (Song) – Bob Ballou
    • Nominated Writing (Screenplay—based on material from another medium)
  • Golden Globe Awards logo
    Golden Globes 1966 1 win · 4 nominations
    • Won Best Performance in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical (Actor) – Lee Marvin
    • Nominated Best Film - Comedy or Musical
    • Nominated Best Original Song
    • Nominated Best Performance in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical (Actress) – Jane Fonda
  • British Academy Film Awards logo
    BAFTA 1966 1 win · 3 nominations
    • Won Best Foreign Actor – Lee Marvin
    • Nominated Best Foreign Actress – Jane Fonda
    • Nominated Most Promising Newcomer to Leading Film Roles – Tom Nardini
  • Directors Guild of America Awards logo
    DGA Awards 1966 1 nomination
Videos

Cat Ballou Trailers & Videos

The trailer of Cat Ballou.

Cat Ballou (1965) ORIGINAL TRAILER [HD 1080p]
Quiz

How Well Do You Know Cat Ballou?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
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  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
  7. Question 7: not answered
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  9. Question 9: not answered
  10. Question 10: not answered

What year does Cat Ballou's story take place?

Details

Cat Ballou Also Known As

20 alternative titles, including “Cat Ballou – Hängen sollst Du in Wyoming” and “Cat Ballou - Hängen sollst du in Wyoming”.

Also known as
  • Cat Ballou – Hängen sollst Du in Wyoming
  • Cat Ballou - Hängen sollst du in Wyoming
  • La ingenua explosiva
  • Cat Ballou skjuter skarpt
  • Dívka ze Západu
  • Cat Ballou legendája
  • کت بالو
  • Dívida de Sangue
  • קאט באלו
  • Кет Балу
  • Кошка Балу
  • Kasia Ballou
+8 more
  • 캣 벌루
  • 狼城脂粉俠
  • La tigresa del oeste
  • 狼城脂粉侠
  • Η Λησταρχίνα
  • Paukkurauta-Kati
  • แคท บัลลู สาวพราวเสน่ห์
  • Kanunsuz Silahşör

Seen Cat Ballou?

FAQ

Cat Ballou FAQ: Cast, Awards & Runtime

Runtime, release date, director, cast, ratings, awards and post-credit scenes of Cat Ballou, each answered in a sentence.

How long is Cat Ballou?

Cat Ballou runs 1 hour 37 minutes (97 minutes).

When was Cat Ballou released?

Cat Ballou was released on June 24, 1965.

Who directed Cat Ballou?

Cat Ballou was directed by Elliot Silverstein.

More films by Elliot Silverstein

Who is in the cast of Cat Ballou?

Cat Ballou stars Stubby Kaye, Nat 'King' Cole and Jane Fonda, among 10 credited actors.

How is Cat Ballou rated?

Cat Ballou has 6.7/10 on IMDb, 90% on Rotten Tomatoes, 60 on Metacritic and 64% on TMDB.

What awards did Cat Ballou win?

Cat Ballou won 3 awards from 13 nominations, including Actor at the Oscars 1966.

Does Cat Ballou have a post-credit scene?

No. Cat Ballou has no extra scene during or after the credits.

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