Customer Reviews

Bus Stop [VHS]

5 star:		(29)
4 star:		(19)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

This review refers to the 20th Century Fox(Diamond Collection)DVD edition of "Bus Stop"

Bo can hog tie a calf, and ride a bronco better and faster than anyone around. But he is naive in the ways of the world. When he takes his first bus trip to the city to dazzle em at a rodeo, he's in for the ride of his life. His mentor Virge, tells him it's time he found a gal of his own. Bo likes this idea, but he doesn't want any ol' gal, it's got to be an angel. He'll know her when he sees her! And what's more he'll simply rope her and haul her back with him. Well, things get complicated for this simple guy, when he spots his angel. She is Cherie. A "Chanteuse" with plans of her own. Cherie has direction in her life. The direction being from "River Gulch" to "Hollywood", where she will have "options". She is trying desperatly to shed her "hillbilly" image. A Montana cattle ranch was not part of the plan. Once these two meet though, Cherie has no choice in the matter(or does she?), and is literally swept off her feet by Bo.She finds herself on a bus ride that may change her life. Can the naive rancher and and the saloon singer with a past find love? Find out in this very touching story.

Marilyn Monroe will capture your heart(once again) as Cherie. She shines in this role of a more dramatic nature.She treats us to "That Old Black Magic", and although, Cherie's talent as a songstress is not going to win her any awards, it doesn't matter. Like Bo, we are just dazzled by what we see!
Don Murray is introduced as Bo. He's absolutely wonderful as the innocent cowboy. Directed by Joshua Logan, it also stars such greats as Arthur O'connell, Eileen Heckart, Betty Field, and look for a very young Hope Lange. The are some charming musical numbers as well.

This film from 1956,has been restored and looks fabulous. It is presented in anamorphic widescreen(1.85:1) with wonderful color and a beautifully clear picture. The sound may be listented to in 4.0 Surround or stereo, and is terriffic as well. It may be viewed in French(mono) and has Spanish and English subtitles. There's a theatrical trailer, some stills, and a great demonstration of how the restoration compares with previous transfers. If you can't get enough of Marilyn, you may want to consider buying this in the "Diamond Collection" set. Besides this one, it includes, "How To Marry A Millionaire", Gentlemen Prefer Blondes", "There's No Business Like Show Business","The Seven Year Itch" and a great documentary about Marilyn's last months "The Final Days". All of these DVDs are excellent as well.

"Bus Stop" is dramatic, funny and poignant. It will leave you with a smile on your face for some time afterwards.

Spend some time with Marilyn....and enjoy...Laurie

Marilyn Monroe was nominated for the Golden Globe award for Best Actress for this 1956 film adaptation of William Inge's play. As Cherie, she is beautiful and plays a character from some small town in Arkansas where guys started pursuing her when she was 14. From a perspective 50 years later, some of the acting seems a bit over the top, but it played well in its day.

Don Murray plays the ranch hand Bo who wants to force Cherie to marry him. Murray earned his only Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor in 1956 for the role. Today, his style seems too animated to be believable. However, he certainly performs with gusto.

The supporting cast is also excellent. Robert Bray who was in "The Caine Mutiny" plays Carl the bus driver who gives Bo a licking. Arthur O'Connell who had two Oscar nominations for "Picnic" in 1955 & "Anatomy of a Murder" in 1959 does a good job as Virgil, Bo's buddy that tries to counsel him. Betty Field plays Grace, the cafe owner with a strut out of "Annie Get Your Gun." She has appeared in "Picnic," "The Great Gatsby," & "King's Row." Eileen Heckert with her deep voice plays Cherie's friend Vera. Heckert was nominated for the supporting Oscar for "The Bad Seed" in 1956 and won in 1972 for "Butterflies Are Free." She does an excellent job of grounding the film with a sense of reality. Hope Lange puts in a brief appearance as Elma Duckworth who works at the diner. She's lovely in a small role. The following year, she would get a Best Supporting Actress nomination for "Peyton Place" and go on to win hearts in the 1960s in TV's "The Ghost & Mrs. Muir."

"Bus Stop" seems a bit dated now 50+ years later. However, it is well worth viewing to watch Marilyn Monroe and the superb supporting cast. Enjoy!

I want to start by saying that I absolutely love Marilyn Monroe and she did an excellent job in this movie as in all her movies. I had to give it 4 stars just because she's in it. However, Don Murray, who plays the male lead, in my opinion, ruined it. He is so corny and often downright annoying. He overacts the part and is very unrealistic. I mean, sure he's a cowboy, but a cowboy can be manly and romantic. He is neither. But if you can get past that, the movie is amusing and Marilyn shines. I enjoyed watching it just because it's funny to see her using a hillbilly accent. She actually does it pretty well. If you're a Marilyn fan you will probably enjoy this and want to add it to your collection. Otherwise it may be a little too corny for you. I personally plan to buy it to add to my collection. It is nice that it is coming out on DVD since it is very hard to get on video anymore.

We've got to admit that this kind of material belongs to the theater.However the casting of DON MURRAY in a real far out character and MARILYN MONROE as a dancer works surprizingly well.The saloon scene with MARILYN singing the 1942 MERCER classic THAT OLD BLACK MAGIC is fun.The fighting match in the snow is a real audience rouser.Perhaps one can say that the character that MURRAY plays seems rather unappealing and rather unbelievable.To resume the story simply, it's a youngman from the country who becomes a man when he discovers sex the first time he sees CHERIE.

Many critics now say that it's a crime that Marilyn Monroe was never nominated for an Academy Award. Her not being nominated for her performance in "Bus Stop" is proof.

Today, we often see actors starring in movies that require them to speak with a certain accent, and their accents come-and-go during the movie. You wont find that here. Marilyn's hillbilly accent remains throughout the film, and it's a very realistic one. Initially, Marilyn's costume was an expensive getup created by the studio, but she herself went to a second-hand shop and found an outfit that she believed her character would actually wear. And, she agreed that she should wear the white, chalky make-up that she does in the film, as her character is one who sleeps during the day (never sees sunlight) and works at night.

Marilyn displays a wide range of emotions in this film--happiness, sexiness, sadness, excitement, and downright anger--and we feel every one of them. I dont think any other actress could have done a better job in the role.

The entire cast is excellent as well. The role of "Grace" is a scene-stealer!

The story is corny, but that's what makes it so funny. Marilyn over plays the character as a lot of little things happen around her that aren't really part of the story, but would be typical in a similar situation; like for example when Marilyn is trying to change clothes in the bus full of sleeping passenger. She contends with the little boy who is set to watch by placing her hand on the top of his head and turning it to the side. At the time the bus driver almost runs off the road and turns the bus over trying to get a peek too. Marilyn is just too perfect at being Marilyn!

It is too bad Don Murry did not get an acadamy award for this picture. He nails his character as a whiney, lovesick cowboy. The real treat in watching the picture is getting to see a very young Marylin Monroe doing splendidly as she emerges as a very fine dramatic actress. Time has shown how really great she was at her craft. There never has been nor never will be anything like her--mountains of imitators, some spending millions to advance their own careers have not come close. Some of her talent was natural and some of it learned by "the Method." Her timing is exquisite. The movie is a great record of a period marked by method acting and it displays examples of the best.

One thing is a fact here: Marilyn's male co-star is annoying throughout the entire film. Period. He almost ruins the film.
However, Marilyn is SO GREAT in this film, that she saves it.
Her acting is superb, and she comes across as extra vulnerable.
So credit Marilyn's acting skills with making this a worthwhile
movie - definitely worth seeing!

Marilyn Monroe gave one of her better performances in this movie. Unfortunately, the movie itself is so lacking. This is especially true when you compare it to writer William Inge's stage version. The movie has completely deleted characters that were too controversial for '50s Hollywood. However, those characters make perhaps the most profound statements on the human condition that the movie loses the richness of the play. The only real reason to see this movie is if you're a fan of Monroe's work. Otherwise, find out if there is a production of the stage play in your area. If you're only knowledge of this work comes from the movie, you're missing most of the story.

Bus Stop is Mister Logan's alternately sweltering, chilly and beautiful adaptation of William Inge's unforgettable stageplay, featuring Marilyn in one of her best film performances(aside from Huston's The Misfits) as naive child woman Cherie, a roadhouse chanteuse, a rotgut glamour girl from the wrong side of the tracks, who becomes the object of obsession for an equally infantile rodeo rider, Beau(Don Murray in an oscar nominated performance).Logan brings Inge's world to breathing technicolor life, and makes it all his own, bringing the bizarre couple from point A to point Z, from juvenile passion and hindrance to mutual love and affection.A fascinating work,containing some of film's most beautiful color closeups, a companion peace to Logan's other Inge adaptation PICNIC, both on the dynamic of man and woman and love.