The 1965 comedy western starring Lee Marvin that earned him the Academy Award for Best Actor is Cat Ballou. Marvin won for playing two contrasting characters: the drunken gunfighter Kid Shelleen and his ruthless look-alike, Tim Strawn.
Directed by Elliot Silverstein, the film stars Jane Fonda as Catherine “Cat” Ballou, a woman who seeks protection for her father’s ranch and later pursues revenge after his murder. Its mixture of western conventions, broad comedy, musical interludes, and absurd action made it a major hit.
Nat King Cole and Stubby Kaye appear as traveling troubadours who narrate and perform songs throughout the story. Their musical presence gives the film the feel of a comic ballad brought to life, echoing the movie’s source novel, The Ballad of Cat Ballou.
Marvin’s Oscar was especially notable because he won for a comedic dual performance rather than one of his familiar tough-guy roles. The award is sometimes confused with his later western work in The Professionals, but that 1966 film did not earn him the Oscar.