Bus Stop

 

Bus Stop 1956

• Director: Joshua Logan
• Based on the novel: no
• Cast: Marilyn Monroe, Don Murray, Arthur O’Connell, Betty Field, Eileen Heckart, Robert Bray, Hope Lange
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in:

o   Marilyn Monroe – The Misfits, Some Like It Hot, All about Eve, The Asphalt Jungle

o   Don Murray – Peggy Sue Got Married, Conquest of the Planet of the Apes, Happy Birthday Wanda June

o   Arthur O’Connell – The Poseidon Adventure, countless TV series

o   Eileen Heckart – First Wives’ Club, Mary Tyler Moore, The Fugitive

o   Robert Bray – various TV series

o   Hope Lange – The Ghost and Mrs Muir

• Why? A classic
• Seen: 21 February 2021.

       Amazingly, I haven’t seen this. Indeed, few Monroe films at all.

       Bo (Murray) is a young rodeo star who heads to Phoenix to win rodeos and if his mentor Virg (O’Connell) has his way, a girl. But Bo won’t settle for anything less than an angel. Even if he has to use force. He’s spoiled, obnoxious and a stupid hick.

       Enter Cherie (Monroe), an Ozark chanteuse on her way to Hollywood, working her way in rural dumps, entertaining raunchy cowboys. She longs for respect.

       Bo catches sight of her and says, ‘That’s my angel.’

       This has got to be the worst film I’ve seen since Braveheart. It has a couple of saving graces – Monroe has star quality (it’s too bad she almost never had the chance to use it in decent material) and the friendship and support between women is almost Shakespearean.

       It all depends on how it ends.

       Alas, the ending is dreadful. Monroe and the friendship aspect are worth a * each but the film itself

 

 0* of 5