Bus Stop

As much as it pains me to criticise Marilyn, I must say that her performance in Bus Stop was an embarrassment. Her quasi-Southern accent is like nails on a chalkboard, sounding more like a speech impediment than any accent. The love story is totally unconvincing. Beau, the simpleminded cowboy, treats Cherie (Marilyn) like nothing more than cattle to the very end, yet she still falls for him. However, it is Marilyn, and she comes across as sweet & lovely as she ever has. It's a must-have for Marilyn fans simply because she tries so hard in this film (even if she does fail miserably), but if you want to see Marilyn in a very different role than the dizzy blonde we all know her as, rent "Niagra" or "Don't Bother To Knock". She did have talent, contrary to what her detractors will have you believe, but don't rent Bus Stop expecting to find any evidence of it.

"Bus Stop" is named for the setting of the last half-hour of this film, the bus stop in the snow, somewhere in Wyoming, where Beau finally gets his 'comeuppance', right before he and Cherie reconcile. If this movie had not been made in 1956, but instead in modern times, it would have received a very laughable reception. As it is, I consider it a cult classic in the genre of "The Rocky Horror Picture Show", so horrible and fake are the characters and the dialog.

However, Marilyn Monroe, in her 26th film, playing a simple showgirl from Arkansas, does very well with her role. Don Murray as "Beau", in his very first film, is so obnoxious that by the time he apologises for his bad behavior, we no longer care about him, and "Cherie's" accepting him just doesn't make sense. Hope Lange has a small part as "Elma" on the bus, in this her first film. She and Murray married afterward in real life, but it didn't last. Murray made a number of other films, including the father in "Quarterback Princess" in 1983 with Helen Hunt.

The reason to see this film is Marilyn Monroe in her prime, almost 30, and only 6 years from her death. The story, of the possessive cowboy who decides to marry Cherie and haul her away to his ranch in Montana, is pretty simple and pretty implausible. The scene in the bus stop, where he finally kisses her "for serious", was also featured in an episode of Northern Exposure, with Chris playing Beau and Maggie playing Cherie, for a community theater production they were rehearsing for.

Bus Stop has been rightly hailed as Marilyn Monroe's breakthrough performance in a movie as a serious dramatic actress. She is absolutely superb here, ditching the breathless dumb blonde of earlier roles and playing a hardened, Southern chanteuse in search of true love. She manages to convey a whole range of emotions which is testament to her time spent at Lee Strasberg's Actor's Studio in New York. As usual she sparkles and it's difficult to take your eyes off her, but there is a depth and sympathy to her playing that makes you take note of the performance and not simply the curves.

However, Bus Stop is a relatively simple picture of unrequited then requited love. The comedy moments don't often work that well and Don Murray's Beau has to be one of the most irritating characters I have ever seen in a film. Him and Cherie coming together at the end of the picture is unbelievable and spoiled the movie for me...I always wanted her to get away!

Bus Stop is more enjoyable from the Monroe point of view as her playing is spellbinding and marked a turning point in her career.

The movie itself is mildly OK. However, this movie shows why MM has been so unforgettable to the American public almost 40 years after her death.

Check out two scenes. First, the justifiably famous rendition of "That Old Black Magic" number. Whether acting or if it's the real Marilyn Monroe, she conveys loneliness in front of a packed saloon; the feeling of recognition and appreciation when the Don Murray (Bo)character berates the patrons to show respect to her while she sings; and the out-and-out sexiness of her when she is lit up in red flames. Wow!!

The second scene is near the end when, standing out in the cold, Bo offers her his coat. The look on her face when she realizes that someone, maybe for the first time, is there to look after her and take care of her is absolutely moving. Again we can see the real Marilyn in the character. She so desperately looked for love and acceptance all through her life.

This is not a great movie. It is a great showcase for one of the most

remarkable personalities in movie history.

'Bus Stop' is a cheerful and romantic old-style film with part of the action centering around a bus stop and bus journey. Bo, a not-very-bright cowboy, does not know anything about love but has his heart set on bringing a woman back home with him. He sees Cherie (played by Monroe) at a bar and falls instantly in love, but she does not quite feel the same way about him. The film explores this romance and the lessons that Bo (and Cherie) has to learn in order to 'grow up'. It takes him several mistakes and character flaws to overcome, but, with the help of Marilyn Monroe, everything comes to a happy (and quick) ending, like most 1950s films.

Overall, 'Bus Stop' is an engaging and funny film and it is worth a watch. However, there are some problems. One of the problems is that I found Bo to be extremely annoying in places. He is too 'in your face'; I am not sure whether Bo's innocence was over-played by the actor or if it was written in the script. The other problem I had was the ending. Older films typically have a rushed ending, at least when compared to the present day. It just seems to abrupt.

The film also has some amuzing adult humor, and this is subtle so there is not a chance of a child picking up on it. (Look at the float in the parade!) Overall, 'Bus Stop' is an all-around enjoyable tale about an age past.