The sleeper hit of 1965, CAT BALLOU was declared an instant classic when its sly blend of Western parody and rapid-fire action hit the screen. Lee Marvin won an Oscar for Best Actor for his dual role as noseless (“It got bit off in a fight”) gunslinger Tim Strawn and as Kid Shelleen, the woozy, boozy has-been who goes up against him. Jane Fonda co-stars as Catherine “Cat” Ballou, the schoolmarm-turned-outlaw who teams up with Kid. Singer Nat King Cole and comedian Stubby Kaye also appear, singing the title song, “The Ballad of Cat Ballou.” This wild and woolly adventure is “the ultimate American spoof of the American Western.” (Judith Crist)

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Video Quality

Cat Ballou returns to Blu-Ray with its original 1.85:1 aspect ratio courtesy of Sony. The film was first released on Blu-Ray in 2016 courtesy of Twilight Time, but that release is long out of print. We also do not have it as a point of comparison to this new transfer. We do not have any specifics about this fresh transfer, but it is a gorgeous presentation. The natural film grain is splendid and resolves evenly without swarming or clumping.

There is impeccable detail throughout with dusty landscapes, intricate costumes, and vintage production design replete with texture. Facial features are nuanced and textured with makeup, stubble, and grime. There are distinct earthy hues within the expanses along with key outfits that come to life with the colors brilliantly saturated. Black levels are deep without any blocking or compression artifacts, and highlights hold firm without succumbing to blooming. This new release is a knockout for fans of the film.

Audio Quality

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment brings forth this Blu-Ray with a DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track and a DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio mono track that each delivers in different ways. The mono track feels more authentic to the original audio experience, but the immersive surround sound track fleshes out the world tastefully for an unbelievable experience. From the opening ballad from Nat King Cole and Stubby Kaye, you know that music is going to be key to this experience, and every song serves up capable fidelity. There are absolutely no signs of weakness to be found on either track.

Dialogue comes through clearly without being overcome by any environmental effects. The sounds of gunfire and galloping horses are faithfully defined and given a formidable rendering in the speakers. The yelling of patrons at the saloon gives some texture to the world, but this is understandably not a knockout in the low end. Nevertheless, this track does everything one could reasonably expect without a hiccup. Sony has delivered the goods from an audio perspective. Optional English, English SDH, French, and Spanish subtitles are provided.

Special Features

Commentaries: This disc provides two archival commentary tracks that offer perspectives on the film that complement each other impeccably well. One track with two of the performers provides a personal perspective filled with personal anecdotes not to be missed, while the film historians offer an intellectual perspective that is equally as valuable.

- Audio Commentary #1: Actors Michael Callan and Dwayne Hickman

- Audio Commentary #2: Film Historians Eddy Friedfeld, Lee Pfeiffer, and Paul Scrabo

The Legend of Cat Ballou: A 13-minute featurette in which director Elliot Silverstein reflects on the development of the picture, the qualities of the performers, the tone of the film, and more.

Theatrical Trailer: A three-and-a-half-minute-long trailer is provided.

Final Thoughts

Cat Ballou is an unexpected early Western farce that takes the seriousness out of the genre and subverts the tropes to uproarious effect. It takes serious talent to make humor seem natural, and this film succeeds on that front. Jane Fonda may not be commanding the largest shares of the laughs, but she provides a good emotional anchor for everyone else to deliver witty incisions around her. The narrative moves along at a good pace and keeps you entertained throughout. Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has released a Blu-Ray with a fantastic A/V presentation and a couple of cool features. The film is such a fun time that you should not miss it. Recommended

Cat Ballou can be purchased directly through MovieZyng or various other online retailers.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.