joi, 1 iunie 2017

Bus Stop, based on a play by William Inge

Bus Stop, based on a play by William Inge
6 out of 10

A different version of this note and thoughts on other books are available at:


This comedy has been nominated for an Academy Award, two Golden Globes- for best comedy no less and Marilyn Monroe’s performance- one BAFTA, the Golden Lion and a few other noteworthy prizes.
And I do not see why!

Plus, we can find this modest production on the New York Times’ Beat 1,000 Movies Ever Made list that you find here:


It is not the worst film that you have seen.
But I really wonder how people like it.

It could be that the moeurs have changed so much that much of the attitude of the hero is unacceptable today.

-          Well, I do not see how they tolerated it back then
-          And indeed, there is a fight and a nadir that is supposed to wake the protagonist to reality
-          Still, my opinion is very negative

Beauregard “Bo” Decker is a cowboy that has never kissed a girl and his innocence, naiveté may explain what happens.

-          But it does not excuse him
-          Not for this viewer

-          And then, would you like to be lassoed like a horse or a cow?

-          Because that is what this red neck does to Chérie aka Marilyn Monroe


Beauregard is on the bus with Virgil Blessing, right at the start of the film.
They travel to Phoenix because the young man is determined to win the rodeo contests and meet an angel.

The woman for him can be nothing else, but an angel and some of this self-assurance can be justified, given the age and the state of this education.
This was another really annoying fact, because the man talks without any knowledge of any rules and yet he is so sure he deserves so much

-          You is and they has are pretty much what both Beauregard and Chérie use in their manner of speaking

Yes, he grew on a farm and she had a difficult life, but then I was born under communism, not in America and I know better English than these two put together and besides, this is their native tongue-
Not that they would know what that is…

The rancher is aggressive, rude and from the bus he sings and acts like if the others have no say in the matter…
They did seem to enjoy it, so mea culpa- maybe there he did the right thing, but when he started his relationship with the chanteuse, he was on the wrong track.

You cannot bully someone into a relationship, not to mention that it is advisable to know the partner you want to have for life.
Actually, I resented the guy and the fact that Chérie is just as ignorant and ready to accept so much, even if she resist for some time.

-          Love at first sight?
-          I do not buy that
-          It is more appropriate to use the description used by the chanteuse:
-          Physical attraction

But that is not good enough for much, except intimate relations, which would be fine, but not marriage.
Perhaps using the classic Blink, the Power of Thinking Without Thinking would bring us to an explanation in this case.

-          And we are talking about Marilyn Monroe
-          But I think she acted without talent here

If I compare this to The Seven Years Itch and Some Like It Hot it almost looks like this is another actress.


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