★ 8 / 10
In her prime, which because of her death
talisencrw
In her prime, which because of her death at any early age was all of her cinematic life, Monroe was a gorgeous force of nature very much underappreciated in…
In her prime, which because of her death at any early age was all of her cinematic life, Monroe was a gorgeous force of nature very much underappreciated in her thespianism. Once I adjusted to Logan's directional style and to the rodeo and fish-out-of-water concepts, I really laid back and enjoyed this. Though it doesn't feature Marilyn's best singing--she portrays a bad singer, at least at the start--it does have some of her best acting, as she finds out she's accepted for who she really is. Wish that had happened to her in real life. Don't get me wrong: it's not by any stretch of the imagination a great film. Yet neither is it the mediocrity other people tend to say it is.
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★ 5 / 10
You Can't Get A Man With A Gun - or a girl with a lasso...
Igenlode Wordsmith
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…
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.
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Thanks FREEMAN