Bus Stop

She's an “angel,” albeit somewhat tarnished. He's a “young barbarian,” fresh off the ranch. Their tempestuous love story takes center stage in this 1956 adaptation of William Inge's classic play. While dated and stagey, Bus Stop is an essential Marilyn Monroe film, featuring one of her most critically acclaimed performances as Cherie, a deluded nightclub “chanteuse” from the Ozarks determined to get to Hollywood and Vine to be discovered. Don Murray, playing to the rafters in his Oscar-nominated screen debut, is the untamed Bo, a rodeo cowboy set on making her his bride, even if he has to literally lasso her to do it. The pair receive support from a stable-full of great character actors, including Arthur O'Connell as Bo's father figure, Eileen Heckart as Cherie's supportive best friend, and Betty Field as a no-nonsense owner of a diner. The ravishing Technicolor pops off the screen in this meticulous Blu-ray restoration, but Monroe is the true show here in a tailor-made role that captures her vulnerability. Recommended. (D. Liebenson)