When Lee Marvin walked onto the stage at the 1966 Academy Awards, he didn’t just thank his director or the studio heads. He famously told the crowd that half of his Oscar belonged to "a horse somewhere out in San Fernando Valley." People laughed, but he wasn’t really joking. That horse—a Tennessee Walker named Smokey—had effectively helped Marvin pull off one of the most improbable Best Actor wins in Hollywood history.
Honestly, if you look at the lineup that year, it’s wild. Marvin was up against heavyweights like Richard Burton for The Spy Who Came in from the Cold and Laurence Olivier’s Othello. Usually, the Academy loves a brooding, serious drama. Instead, they gave the gold to a guy playing a drunk who couldn't hit the broad side of a barn.
Lee Marvin in Cat Ballou isn't just a performance; it’s a masterclass in how to steal a movie while barely being in it. He’s on screen for maybe 30 minutes total. But in those 30 minutes, he manages to play two completely different people, fall off a wagon, and redefine the Western comedy forever.
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The Dual Role Nobody Expected
Most people forget that Marvin actually played two roles in this movie. You’ve got Tim Strawn, the terrifying, silver-nosed assassin who kills Cat’s father. Then you’ve got Kid Shelleen, the washed-up, whiskey-soaked legend who can’t even stand up straight without help.
It’s a bizarre contrast.
Strawn is cold and robotic. Shelleen is a chaotic mess. The fact that Marvin played both is the ultimate "flex" of his range. At the time, he was mostly known as a "tough guy" from movies like The Killers or the TV show M Squad. Taking on a comedy role was a massive risk. Kirk Douglas reportedly turned the part down because he didn't think a Western comedy would work.
Big mistake.
Marvin took the role and leaned into the physical comedy with everything he had. The scene where he tries to "prepare" for a gunfight—washing his face with whiskey and trembling while trying to put on a girdle—is high-level slapstick that actually feels sad. You're laughing at him, but you also kind of want him to pull it together.
That "Drunken" Horse Scene
If there is one image everyone remembers from Cat Ballou, it’s Kid Shelleen and his horse both leaning against a brick wall, looking absolutely hammered.
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It looks like a lucky accident. It wasn't.
Smokey, the horse, was a professional. His trainer had taught him how to cross his legs and lean his weight against the wall on cue. When Marvin matched the horse’s posture, leaning back with that vacant, blurry-eyed stare, movie magic happened.
Jane Fonda, who played the title character, actually struggled on set. She was trying to play the movie as a serious drama—a woman seeking revenge for her murdered father—while Marvin and the rest of the cast were essentially making a live-action cartoon. She reportedly got frustrated with the "hammy" acting until she saw the final cut. Then she realized Marvin had basically carried the film’s tone on his back.
The Impact of a 28-Day Shoot
They filmed this whole thing in less than a month. 28 days. That’s an insane turnaround for a movie that ended up being a box-office smash. Columbia Pictures didn't expect much from it. It was a "filler" project.
But it ended up grossing over $20 million in 1965 dollars.
For Lee Marvin, this changed everything. Before this, he was a character actor. A very good one, sure, but not a "lead." After Cat Ballou, he was a superstar. He could command the big paychecks and the top billing in movies like The Dirty Dozen.
What's really fascinating is that Marvin’s win proved the Academy could actually recognize comedy. We see this today with the Oscars often ignoring "light" roles in favor of "suffering" roles. But in '66, they recognized that making people laugh while maintaining a character's soul is just as hard as crying on cue.
Why You Should Rewatch It Today
If you haven't seen it in a while, or if you've only seen the clips on YouTube, watch the whole thing. Pay attention to the way Marvin uses his eyes. Even when he's playing the "legendary" Kid Shelleen, there’s a flicker of a man who knows he’s a joke.
- The Music: Nat King Cole and Stubby Kaye act as a Greek chorus, wandering through scenes and singing the "Ballad of Cat Ballou." It’s meta before meta was a thing.
- The Contrast: Watch how Marvin shifts his posture between the two characters. Strawn is rigid and tall; Shelleen is slumped and fluid.
- The Action: The gunfights are actually well-staged, even with the jokes.
Practical Insights for Film Lovers
If you're looking to explore more of Lee Marvin’s work after seeing him in this, don't expect another comedy. Most of his filmography is gritty, violent, and serious. He was a real-life Marine who served in WWII and was wounded in the Battle of Saipan. That "toughness" you see in his other films wasn't an act.
That’s why his performance here is so special. It was the one time he really let the world see his funny side, and he got a statue for it.
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To get the most out of your next viewing, try to find a high-definition restoration. The Eastman Color used in the 60s looks incredible when it's cleaned up, especially the location shots in Colorado. It gives the film a vibrant, storybook feel that contrasts perfectly with the gritty reality of a "hero" who can't stay sober.
If you're a student of acting, study the "transformation" scene. When Shelleen finally gets clean and puts on his gunfighter clothes, the way Marvin changes his physical presence is a textbook example of character work. He goes from a puddle of a man to a pillar of steel in five minutes.
The next step is simple: skip the modern remakes and go back to the source. Rent or stream Cat Ballou this weekend. Look past the 60s kitsch and focus on Marvin. You’ll see exactly why he deserved that Oscar—and why he was man enough to share the credit with a horse.