•          HOME PAGE
• BIOGRAPHY
• FILES
• BOOKS
• LINKS
• COMMENTS
• S

Bus Stop (1956)

Other title : "The Wrong Kind of Girl".

Posters ;,,,.

After her problems with the Fox and after having founded her own production company, Marilyn was called again in Hollywood to play the main part in a movie version of a Broadway successful play of year 1955, written by William Inge. He was considered as one of the best playwright of that period, even if at a lower level than Arthur Miller and Tennessee Williams.

Many people think thta it was one of the best dramatic interpretation of Marilyn.
Her associate Milton Greene did a lot for the success of this movie.
 

The terms of her new contract with the Fox Studios gave Marilyn the right to check not only on the screenplay but also about the choice both of the director and of the photography operator.

John Huston, her first choice, who had already directed her in "The Asphalt Jungle", wasn't available.
Lew Wasserman  suggested Joshua Logan, who agreed to lead the project when his friend Lee Strasberg assured him that Marilyn was very talented.

At the beginning, Paula Strasberg wasn't accepted on the set. But Marilyn's intervention and backstage, Lee Strasberg's one, made Paula hired (for 1 500$ a week) for the first time, in order to calm Marilyn's nerves and to help her to improve her elocution.

 

The outdoor shootings were filmed in the beginning of 1956 in Phoenix (Arizona) for the rodeo sequences, and in Sun Valley (Idaho) for the mountain scenes.

Marilyn was quite difficult on the set. It was not only due to the fear of a flop and to her lack of self-confidence (her endless pets hates ), but also to her growing dependence on barbiturates. She was also, for the first time, in a strong position.

Her partner, Don Murray, thought that she wasn't always a very pleasant "boss". The only person with who she stuck up a friendship with during the shooting, was Eileen Heckart, who had recently played in a Arthur Miller's play "A View From the Bridge".
 

"Bus stop" was her first movie in Cinemascope, and Marilyn took the occasion to give more relief to her part. She refused to wear sumptuous costumes owned by the Fox Studios, chose a minor dress and deliberately made her fishnet stockings spinned.

 

She gave to her character of a singer, Cherie, a stammer during the hard moments (a feature proper to Marilyn) and tending to forget her text at the important moments.

In the final version, a big part of Cherie's monologue face to Elma Duckworth (Hope Lange) in the bus, was cut during the montage, because Joshua Logan had suffered from pressure to make the film shorter. Marilyn was convinced that this cut cost her an Academy Awards nomination.

Production

Green blouse ,,,,

, (more pics here). 

---

Rodeo ,, (more pics here).  

---

Golden Coat ,,,,,,

(more pics here).  

---

Bed ,, (more pics here).  

---

Fur coat  ,, (more pics here).  

---

Leotard ,,,, (more pics here). 

---

Off set

with Joshua Logan ;-

with the crew ;

alone

,,,,         

---

Fur jacket

,,,,,;       

-;-

-;       

                        

---

Other pictures

,;;,,;,;,;;

;

---

Wardrobe tests ,;;;

,,,,;----

---

Hairdressing .

---

Publicity pictures

green blouse 

with Don Murray 

,,,,;,

-;.                                                                                           

alone

;,,.    

,;,                                                     

---

leotard , (more pics here).

Other adverts

,,               

                 

Screenplays -;.

 

 

CREDIT

Twentieth Century-Fox, Cinémascope & colors (Deluxe)

Runtime : 96 mn.

Release date : August 31, 1956.

 

Director : Joshua Logan

Producer : Buddy Adler

Screenplay : George Axelrod from a play of William Inge

Photography operator : Milton R. Krasner

Music : Cyril J. Mockridge, Alfred Newman, and a song of Ken Darby

Film editing : William Reynolds.

 

CAST

Marilyn Monroe - Cherie

Don Murray - Beauregard, « Bo », Decker

Arthur O'Connell - Virgil, « Virge », Blessing

Betty Field - Grace

Eileen Heckart - Vera

Robert Bray - Carl

Hope Lange - Elma Duckworth

Hans Conried - photographer

Max Showalter (alias Casey Adams) - Life magazine reporter

Henry Slate - Manager of Blue Dragon Nightclub 

Terry Kelman - Gerald

Linda Brace - Evelyn

Greta Thyssen - cover-girl

Helen Mayon - Landlady

Lucille Knox - Blonde on Street

Kate MacKenna - Elderly Passenger

Budd Buster - Elderly passenger

Mary Carroll - Cashier

J.M. Dunlap - Orville

Fay L. Ivor - Rodeo Usher

Phil J. Munch - Preacher

Jim Katugi Noda - Japanese Cook.

 

TECHNICAL CREW

Mark-Lee Kirk - art director

Lyle R. Wheeler - art director

Paul S. Fox - set designer

Walter M. Scott - set designer

William Travilla - design of the costumes

Charles LeMaire - execution of the costumes

Ben Nye - make-up

Helen Turpin - haidressing

Ben Kadish - director réalisateur

Alfred Bruzlin - sound

Harry M. Leonard - sound

Ray Kellog - special effects.

 

SYNOPSIS

Bo Decker (Don Murray) has grew up in an isolated ranch in Montana, with his guardian Virgil (Arthur O'Connell). He is unbeatable for capturing and raising the cattle, and for taming the wild horses, but, during a trip to Phoenix with Virgil, he proved himself to be full of naivety and innocence.

In Phoenix, Bo follows Virgil at the Blue Dragon Café where he mets Cherie (Marilyn Monroe), native from the Ozark mounts, who belts out "Tha Old Black Magic", in the middle of the clients vociferations. Bo intercedes and enjoins them to shut up. To thank him, Cherie gives him a kiss.

Then, we learn that Cherie plans to continue her journey to the West, to Hollywood, where she thinks that her real singer career will start.

Bo is mistaken by Cherie's kiss : he thinks it's a sign and that, from then on, she is the woman of his life. Whatever Virgil's opinion, he is obsessed by the idea that he has found "his angel"

Bo tracks Cherie and wakes her by announcing that, later on the day, after the rodeo event, they will marry.

Cherie and her friend Vera (Eileen Heckart) attends to the rodeo and sees Bo winning all the tests, stimulated by his love for Cherie, of whom he brandishs the green scarf he has stolen to her.

Cherie realizes that Bo is serious and he really wants to carry out his completely crazy wedding plans.

Convinced that the only solution for her is to flee, she borrows some money to Virgil and runs to the bus station to leave to Los Angeles. But Bo finds her again and pushs her in the Greyhound, leaving for Montana.

While Bo is asleep in the back of the bus, Cherie reveals in an affecting monologue her disappointed hopes and her chaotic life to a young passenger, Elma Duckworth ( Hope Lang in her first part).

Blocked by snowdrifts, the bus must stop for the night in the restaurant "Grace's Place". While Bo and Virgil become asleep, Cherie goes to the restaurant room, and Elma explains to everybody, that the young lady was pushed in the bus against her will, and that she must be helped to get out of this ambush.

Bo, irritated by Cherie second attempt of escape, catchs her and throws her on his shoulder to go to see the closest priest.

The bus driver, Carl (Robert Bray), has heard what was going on and offers Bo to fight with him. Against all expectation, Carl leaves Bo unconscious in the snow.

Bo is so ashamed to have been beaten that he doesn't dare to face Cherie. Virgil advices him to apologize for what he did. Cherie lets him know that he would be happier without her, because he ignores everything about her and her past.

The road has been cleared and the bus is about to leave. Shyly, Bo asks Cherie if he can kiss her before leaving her. Cherie doesn't refuse and realizes at that moment that she's deeply affected by this kiss.

Bo still wants to marry her, and this time, Cherie agrees. The couple gets in the bus and waits for Virgil. But this one, understanding that his mission is fullfilled, decides to stay there.

NOMINATIONS

To the Oscars

- Best Supporting Actor : Don Murray.

 

To the British Academy Awards 

- Most Promising Newcomer to Film 1956 : Don Murray.

 

BACK TO INDEX                                                                                                                                                  NEXT FILE