Marilyn Monroe was a huge movie star in 1956. She was an international sex symbol. She worked hard to create this image. It was not enough for her. She took off from making movies for a year, and studied method acting in New York. It gave her the skills needed to make Bus Stop. It was a successful broadway play by William Inge. She played Cherie, a Saloon singer. She gives a quality performance, complete with a southern accent and a terrible singing voice. This was a stretch for Monroe. She could sing very well, but butchers That Old Black Magic in the film.
Cherie isn’t happy with her vocation. Her chance for a better life, appears with a wild and crazy cowboy, named Beauregard ‘Bo’ Decker, (Don Murray). This was Murray’s first film appearance. He effortlessly plays the naive and headstrong cowboy. Bo has come from his ranch in Montana, for a rodeo in Arizona. He is accompanied by his surrogate father, Virgil Blessing, (Arthur O’Connell). Virgil does his best to keep Bo in line. His efforts fail, when Bo meets Cheri-his angel. Bo falls hard for Cheri, and won’t take no for an answer. Cheri rebuffs his advances. Bo, being a stubborn cowboy, kidnaps Cherie. He puts her on the bus back to Montana. The bus has to stay overnight, when a snowstorm, shuts down the road. A good night’s rest, hasn’t restored sense to Bo. He grabs Cheri, and behaving like a caveman, picks her up over his shoulder. She cries for help. They are answered by the bus driver, Carl, (Robert Bray). Bo has been getting under Carl’s skin, since the trip started. Bo and Carl step outside, and get into a one sided fight. Carl appears to be a veteran brawler, and quickly dispatches Bo. The brutish behavior of Bo, has caused Virgil to snap and it delights him that Bo was taught a hard lesson. He demands that Bo apologize to everyone, which he does, very humbly. He tells Cheri he will be leaving, and asks for a goodbye kiss. They embrace, and Joshua Logan shows a very awkward but meaningful kiss. This kiss, as well as Bo’s humbling, changes Cheri’s mind. She is no longer reluctant or frighted by Bo. She decides that her life isn’t good, and leaves for Montana with her now adult cowboy.
Bus Stop gives a screen pairing of two actors, who perform exceptionally well for the cameras. It is a coming of age love story. Marilyn Monroe gives her best dramatic performance. It is better than The Misfits. This is probably due to her training, and that she was the producer of the movie. It helped that Joshua Logan, gave her free reign. This was also what Billy Wilder did. Both directors were not put off by her chronic lateness, and other annoying behavior. It was the realization, that the final outcome, was worth it. The movie was also helped by the supporting cast of Arthur O’Connell, Robert Bray and Eileen Heckart. Hope Lange was appearing in her first movie, as Emma Duckworth. She did well, as Cherie’s confidant.
A movie like Bus Stop, succeeds because of it’s simple charm. This was brought out by Joshua Logan. He manages to give the feel of a confining bus. It also shows the confinement of Cheri’s life. The scenes in the saloon are well done. Don Murray does well getting everyone to stop talking, while Cheri struggles through That Old Black Magic. Hollywood has done countless love stories. This one is a comic one, with drama thrown in. Any fan of Marilyn Monroe, will enjoy her performance.