Cat Ballou

When her father is killed by a gunman hired by a land company, Catherine Ballou, in training to become a teacher, assembles a gang for revenge. The problem is that the legendary gunfighter she hires is permanently drunk and can barely stand. Elliot Silverstein refuses to take the western seriously and has the events sung by two travelling balladeers, so even the narration is a joke. Jane Fonda leads. Lee Marvin plays both the drunk gunman and his silver-nosed brother, and won an Oscar for the double role; the story goes that his acceptance speech gave most of the credit to his horse. What still works is Marvin's physical comedy. Who it is for: viewers who like western parody and sixties comedy. Who it is not for: anyone wanting tension, since no threat here is kept serious.