It has to be recognized that although Cat is the title character, the story actually belongs to the gunfighter, Kid Shelleen. Producer Harold Hecht bought the rights to Roy Chanslor's book as a possible vehicle for Burt Lancaster. As an independent producer, Hecht offered the role to Kirk Douglas and Jose Ferrer. Lee Marvin was director Elliot Silverstein's choice. In the transition from book to film, Hecht changed the story from a straight western to a comic tale of revenge. It was also Hecht's idea to have the narrative partially relayed by the two itinerant minstrels. The most inspired bit of casting was pairing Stubby Kaye with Nat King Cole to provide the musical commentary. Ann-Margret reportedly was offered the starring role but turned it down. Certainly, given the chance, Ann-Margret could have imaginably been a rough-and-tumble cowgirl, had the filmmakers allowed her to be one.

Michael Callan and Dwayne Hickman provide a somewhat informative commentary on the DVD which informs us that Roger Vadim hung around the set, the western town was filmed on the same set as High Noon, and that Cat Ballou was a relatively low-budget film as far as Columbia Pictures was concerned that turned out to be a major hit.

Jane Fonda later became the "Queen of the Galaxy" in Barbarella. As far as Hollywood and Europe were concerned, the rare times a woman could be an action star would perhaps be in a spy film. Even then, seeing Monica Vitti as Modesty Blaise, or Honor Blackman stealing Goldfinger was unusual. Only a few people were paying attention to the Hong Kong movies starring Connie Chan Po-chu and Cheng Pei-pei. There are at least a couple of reasons for Jane Fonda not becoming an action heroine - that action films then as now were seen primarily as the province for boys, and that the films were not where one usually found serious acting opportunities. On its own terms, Cat Ballou is an enjoyable film. But there was also an opportunity lost, had Jane Fonda done a bit more than look good in her form-fitting jeans.

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