Bus Stop

The movie is based on a play that I haven't read so maybe I'm missing some of the subtext but as pure entertainment I wouldn't recommend this movie. The characters aren't well-defined and are little more than stereotypes, e.g. Grace, the sassy diner waitress, Cherie, the showgirl with a heart of gold. Marilyn Monroe plays the same type of character that she more or less played for her entire career, but she does it very well; she and Hope Lange provide the only good performances. Don Murray's unsophisticated cowboy was so obnoxious he practically ruined any enjoyment to be had from the movie. The supporting players are decent but that's all. It's a shame, this movie could have been pretty good if they had made one or two different casting decisions.

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.

If you like young men with the social skills of a five year old, and young women with low self esteem, watch this film. The only relief is when the bus driver beats the cowboy up to stop him from pestering the poor young woman any further.

There are some comic moments in the film, but it's too frustrating watching Monroe's character treated like an animal. This is not the mood of the 1990s.

If you want to enjoy Marilyn Monroe, watch "Some Like It Hot". At least her character in that film has self-respect, even if she's no more than a likeable bimbo.

I have to confess that for me Marilyn Monroe, like James Dean, is a screen icon whose charms have yet to live up to their reputation; perhaps unfortunate, since I gather from the other comments that 'Bus Stop' is chiefly of interest as a Monroe vehicle! I approached this film from a different angle, attracted by the apparent similarity in source material to the 1943 'The Lady Takes a Chance', a bus/rodeo-set romantic comedy starring John Wayne, of all people, which to my surprise I had very much enjoyed.

In this case, I was disappointed.

The first ten minutes of the film is pretty fair comedy material; the last thirty finally introduces some much-needed emotional subtlety and character development. The intervening hour constitutes a one-joke wonder - boorish cowboy ropes and carries off woman - that rapidly shades from monotonous to actively annoying.

Frankly, this is the type of film calculated to elicit comments of "I'm not a feminist, but -" By the time it got to the showdown in the cafe, I was almost convinced from the preceding plot-line that young Beau would whip his aging opponent with the brutal strength of youth, then ride off with a suddenly hero-worshipping bride. The fact that events (much to my surprise and relief) *don't* turn out that way is not sufficient to justify the tedium of what has gone before. As others have remarked, it is only from this moment that the characters gain any emotional depth - with the possible exception of Monroe's brittle, damaged Cherie. I'll grant, though, that the final denouement does however manage to be both touching and convincing, which is an achievement under the circumstances.

Personally, I'd say that the entire centre section of 'Bus Stop' is a waste of time. I suspect that a perfectly good film (and one more appropriate to the title!) could have been constructed by omitting all the scenes save those taking place in the bus or 'bus stop' itself, and substituting a brief account of intervening events via dialogue.

The most charitable view I can take of this film is that too long is spent in setting-up for its few worthwhile scenes. The sexual politics shown have nothing to do with the film's era - again, see 'The Lady Takes a Chance' for a superior contemporary take on the clash-of-the-sexes theme - and far more to do with unfunny slapstick humour. And sadly, I can't really say I found Marilyn Monroe as seductive as the screenplay clearly assumes.

An interesting piece for Monroe fans, but lacklustre entertainment.

To the naysayers I say "you missed it" but I guess people either like MM or they do not. I was braced for the 50s-style corn, but not for the underlying sadness of Cherie, as rendered by Monroe, and in the end feel she did an incredibly good job with the role--not a false note anywhere.

An extra star (or two) for that very special performance.