Amargo retorno

Unless you love small-town soap opera or are a big fan of Ann-Margret, the only reason to recommend this film is to see Michael Parks emulate James Dean. Perhaps Parks isn't quite as intense or as fidgety as Dean, but the facial expressions, mannerisms, stance, etc. are all spot-on for this Dean fan. I had never really noticed Parks in anything before seeing this, and I haven't seen someone play James Dean this well since James Franco in the TNT "James Dean" (2001) biopic.

Kim Darby, somehow looking older than she did in "Star Trek" or "True Grit" plays a high school version of Barbara Bel Geddes' Midge from "Vertigo."

There's a lot to like about this film, even though it's slight and, too often, dramatically crude. The director, Harvey Hart, went on to do mostly television in his career and that's a little surprising, because he frames scenes in very thoughtful, compelling ways. The story doesn't have quite the depth or psychological complexity to support all those hysterical camera angles, (he had to have been influenced by Elia Kazan's classic "East of Eden" - which interestingly, he later went on to direct the TV movie remake of) but it keeps the movie from getting boring - which it all too easily could have become.

The best thing about the film is the cast. Michael Parks. Ann-Margret. Kim Darby. Janet Margolin. They're all bright, young, attractive, appealing (and in Ann-Margaret's case scorchingly sexy) - you don't mind spending an hour and a half with these people. It's particularly interesting to watch Parks in one of his few fully fleshed out roles. He was often criticised for being a 2nd rate James Dean imitator, but there's very little of that here. As in "The Happening" which he would appear in a couple years later, he shows a real talent for physical, self-mocking comedy - sort of lampooning the expectations of his Dean-like appearance. In fact, you get the feeling he's struggling to shed all that "sensitive young rebel" baggage, and is much more comfortable just being a clown.

Parks unfortunately slogged and mumbled his way through a lot of wretched movies throughout his career but here he IS an actor. There is one key exchange which illustrates this perfectly. He walks into a bar after a disillusioning encounter with a Mortician friend he thought was going to give him a job, no strings attached and has the following conversation with the bartender: "Bus, you look like you just got back from a funeral." "I did." "Whose?" "Mine, I guess." Not especially original dialogue, but Parks is able to put a spin on that last line which makes it sound fresh and, more importantly, real.

For a film that never quite comes together, (and in fact falls apart in the 2nd half) it boasts an unusually high number of memorable scenes: Parks' early morning, exhilarating embrace of his kid sister (Darby) his first day back; A-M deliberately running her expensive car into his new convertible so that he'll have to notice her; and my favorite - Parks walking out on her in some club, and A-M following him slowly in her car as he mills through the deserted streets of his hometown. The two of them really connect in some of their early scenes together (they're as good as anything between Beatty and Wood in "Splendor in the Grass") so it's really disappointing when the decision is made to reduce A-M from a 3 dimensional character to 2 dimensional as the story unfolds. The relationship simply isn't explored in a satisfactory or believable way.

Nevertheless it's fascinating watching this curiosity, through the miracle of video, that's been virtually buried for 35 years.

I really love this movie -I saw it after Parks' series 'Then Came Bronson' which started when I was just seven years old. I honestly don't know how I remember the show.

I have done some research on 'Bus Riley...' and found that the movie was significantly changed by Universal; I don't know whether it was done during shooting or after the bulk of shooting was complete but a great deal of the original story was cut with new scenes filmed to 'push' Ann Margret as a Universal Studios talent. (William) Inge's original script had Judy (Janet Margolin, an absolutely lovely woman) as Bus' girlfriend. He came back to a job at the garage -with James Doohan playing a larger role and was not satisfied, unfulfilled and fell into the relationship with Ann Margret. Michael Parks, Janet Margolin and James Doohan had diminished roles as a result of the forced changes to the movie.

I cannot substantiate this version of events but have seen enough references to it to lend credence to the story -I believe it is why the AM character seems to make no sense at times.

Now, having said that, I still love this movie. I find Michael Parks to be an actor of rare talent and I believe he may have been blacklisted for being difficult to work with. I do think he is a better actor than James Dean, whom he was frequently compared to.

Ann Margret and Michael Parks are two of the more underrated stars of the American cinema. Ann-Margret burst into stardom with her amazing rendition of "Bachelor in Paradise" at the Oscars, Ann set the house afire,and got a thunderous ovation. Ann-Margret worked non stop for years with stars such as Bette Davis and one of A-M's better movies was Universal's Bus Riley's Back in Town. Ann-Margret is perfect in this movie and I am so glad that movies today are being re evaluated. (In the old days movies were spun out for release quickly and then forgotten. Michael Parks is another much neglected star and he made quite a hit in the in John Huston's "The Bible" with Ava Garnder . This movie is based on William Inge's story and there was a sorta gay subplot in the script but Universal diffused the story and made it not so aware in the movie. I know I am hoping for a miracle but if Universal went back and restored the trims and the outtakes of this movie it might be the classic it deserves to be.

Viva sexy Ann Margret who is my candidate for the most under appreciated actress of modern times.

Williwaw

This modest but cute film shows Kim Darby (Gussie) to be perhaps the most underrated actress ever. Every eye movement, every facial expression is a treasure. Her performance is simply brilliant. Why didn't she ever get more good roles? She is so natural, so believable, and has that special quality so many formula actors cannot access: the ability to make you remember and feel the real person inside yourself.

Also, Janet Margolin (Judy) gives a subtle and appropriately underplayed performance, at the same time showing her serene natural beauty at its best. What a pity she died so young!

What this film is really about is family; characters like Gussie & Judy. The role that Ann Margret plays is just a foil, and even the cover of the video shows that entirely too much attention has been focussed on her, detracting from the real value of the film.