Bus Stop (1956) DVD Reviews

Starring	Marilyn Monroe, Don Murray, Arthur O'Connell, Betty Field
Director	Joshua Logan
Genres	Drama, Romance

Critics' reviews (3) of Bus Stop
View all
This was the film that proved Marilyn Monroe was a considerable screen actress, and capable of much, much more than her sexpot image indicated. Whether Monroe's performance is a result of director Joshua Logan's patience or Lee and Paula Strasberg's legendary coaching is irrelevant: she is simply superb as the down-at-heel saloon chanteuse whom young cowboy Don Murray (impressive in his film debut) decides to marry. Based on William Inge's stage play, this is a movie that rewards — especially memorable is Monroe's delivery of an off-kilter That Old Black Magic in an outfit that leaves little to the imagination. If you've ever wondered, this movie certainly shows what Monroe was all about.
- Radio Times
- Posted 29 Jan 2006
Although it's not explicitly a musical, Bus Stop is certainly a product of that imagination which says the best things... read more on Time Out
- Time Out
- Posted 15 May 2009
Sex comedy-drama, a modest entertainment in familiar American vein, very well done but rather over-inflated by its star.
- Halliwell's Film Guide
- Posted 02 Mar 2006
Most helpful members' reviews (3) of Bus Stop
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3 out of 3 people found this review helpful

Marilyn's great, but...

Marilyn is 100% delightful as always, and it's true that this role does show off her acting talents very well... but my opinion is that if you subtract her from the movie, Bus Stop is up there in the top 100 missables of all time.The production values are poor, the stageplay to movie transition is unsuccessful, and Marilyn's cowpoke suitor is so laboriously ghastly that I wanted the rodeo sequence to turn out quite differently!
- - Hugh Palmer from Oxford, UK
  - Posted 02 Mar 2005 06:11
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful

Very Dated

This coming-of-age tale concerns a cowboy, who on his first trip to the city falls in love with Marilyn Monroe's nightclub singer.

This is the film that proved Marilyn as an actress, and she is great in it, but the rest of the film is, quite frankly, terrible. The characters are underdeveloped and annoying, the direction poor, and the story ridiculous.

I had high hopes for this film, and was very dissapointed. For hardcore Marilyn fans only.
- - A customer from London, England
  - Posted 24 Apr 2005 18:42
1 out of 1 person found this review helpful

[Highly rated reviewer]

Loved it

Yes it's dated. Yes Don Murray gets very irritating at times. But it made me laugh a lot, and it had Marilyn Monroe giving her usual amazxing performance in a very skimpy costume.

It rocked. Give it a gol.
- - JamesMc from London
  - Posted 05 Nov 2007 10:02
Most recent members' reviews (2) of Bus Stop
View all
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful

Very Dated

This coming-of-age tale concerns a cowboy, who on his first trip to the city falls in love with Marilyn Monroe's nightclub singer.

This is the film that proved Marilyn as an actress, and she is great in it, but the rest of the film is, quite frankly, terrible. The characters are underdeveloped and annoying, the direction poor, and the story ridiculous.

I had high hopes for this film, and was very dissapointed. For hardcore Marilyn fans only.
- - A customer from London, England
  - Posted 24 Apr 2005 18:42
[Highly rated reviewer]

Great Movie - Marilyn at her best

I have never really watched this movie from beginning to end and I really enjoyed it
- - citygirl from London
  - Posted 20 Oct 2009 17:13

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful

Marilyn's great, but...

Marilyn is 100% delightful as always, and it's true that this role does show off her acting talents very well... but my opinion is that if you subtract her from the movie, Bus Stop is up there in the top 100 missables of all time.The production values are poor, the stageplay to movie transition is unsuccessful, and Marilyn's cowpoke suitor is so laboriously ghastly that I wanted the rodeo sequence to turn out quite differently!
- - Hugh Palmer from Oxford, UK
  - Posted 02 Mar 2005 06:11
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful

Very Dated

This coming-of-age tale concerns a cowboy, who on his first trip to the city falls in love with Marilyn Monroe's nightclub singer.

This is the film that proved Marilyn as an actress, and she is great in it, but the rest of the film is, quite frankly, terrible. The characters are underdeveloped and annoying, the direction poor, and the story ridiculous.

I had high hopes for this film, and was very dissapointed. For hardcore Marilyn fans only.
- - A customer from London, England
  - Posted 24 Apr 2005 18:42
1 out of 1 person found this review helpful

[Highly rated reviewer]

Loved it

Yes it's dated. Yes Don Murray gets very irritating at times. But it made me laugh a lot, and it had Marilyn Monroe giving her usual amazxing performance in a very skimpy costume.

It rocked. Give it a gol.
- - JamesMc from London
  - Posted 05 Nov 2007 10:02
Not her finest hour

Marilyn is one of the worst parts of this mediocre film about the coming of age of a young cowhand. It has dated badly but there are shades of GIANT in some of the Bus Stop scenes. Overall, avoid...
- - R.O.T. from London England
  - Posted 26 Apr 2005 19:43
gimme a break

only point of this film is the novelty of seeing M.M playing a character who doesn't immediately light up and turn on all those around her.

apart from that, the script is garbage, the switch between drama and farce is absurd, the male lead gives a one note performance (and it's a very loud note).

stay on the bus- do not alight here!!
- - robT from croydon
  - Posted 31 May 2005 10:56
Watchable

The male character got on my nerves! Watchable - just!!
- - A customer from England
  - Posted 02 Sep 2005 08:13
Bus Stop

Marilyn Monroe was good the film was not so. The story was slow and the Rodeo scene was a bore! It is an old film and guess most people are only wanting to see Marilyn anway...So it does just that.
- - oscarh from London
  - Posted 05 May 2008 15:29
Bus Stop

Having fallen in love with Marilyn at a very young age, this film shows her at her loveliest.(even if her southern accent is rather naff)
- - A customer from Sowerby Bridge
  - Posted 04 Mar 2009 17:40
[Highly rated reviewer]

Great Movie - Marilyn at her best

I have never really watched this movie from beginning to end and I really enjoyed it
- - citygirl from London
  - Posted 20 Oct 2009 17:13
0 out of 1 person found this review helpful

Good Sunday Afternoon stuff

Not what you would call a blockbuster, but good light hearted entertainment to pass a few hours. Marylin is very amusing as usual.
- - A customer from Canterbury
  - Posted 02 Mar 2005 11:34

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Critics' reviews (3)
This was the film that proved Marilyn Monroe was a considerable screen actress, and capable of much, much more than her sexpot image indicated. Whether Monroe's performance is a result of director Joshua Logan's patience or Lee and Paula Strasberg's legendary coaching is irrelevant: she is simply superb as the down-at-heel saloon chanteuse whom young cowboy Don Murray (impressive in his film debut) decides to marry. Based on William Inge's stage play, this is a movie that rewards — especially memorable is Monroe's delivery of an off-kilter That Old Black Magic in an outfit that leaves little to the imagination. If you've ever wondered, this movie certainly shows what Monroe was all about.
- Radio Times
- Posted 29 Jan 2006
Although it's not explicitly a musical, Bus Stop is certainly a product of that imagination which says the best things... read more on Time Out
- Time Out
- Posted 15 May 2009
Sex comedy-drama, a modest entertainment in familiar American vein, very well done but rather over-inflated by its star.
- Halliwell's Film Guide
- Posted 02 Mar 2006