The Wayward Bus (film)
| The Wayward Bus | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Victor Vicas |
| Produced by | Charles Brackett |
| Starring | Jayne Mansfield Joan Collins Dan Dailey |
| Cinematography | Charles G. Clarke |
| Edited by | Louis R. Loeffler |
| Music by | Leigh Harline |
| Distributed by | 20th Century Fox |
Release date | May 27 1957 |
Running time | 87 minutes |
| Country | Template:Film US |
| Language | English |
The Wayward Bus is a 1957 drama film released by 20th Century Fox.
The film was released in May 1957 at the height of Mansfield's popularity, at the time 20th Century Fox was spending a lot of money in order to make Mansfield a star. The studio was up in arms because their top star Marilyn Monroe had walked out on her studio contract because she was tired of having no say in the movies she made. Marilyn, in 1955, was the number 1 box office draw in the world. The studio saw a chance at having another “Monroe” and thought that it would also teach Marilyn a lesson. The only problem was that Jayne had signed a run of the Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter? play contract, and with all the great box office, they didn’t want to let Jayne go. 20th Century Fox was so determined to get Jayne, they bought the rights to the play, and closed the show.
While she was waiting for Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter? to be ready for the screen, the studio wanted to get her in as many movies as possible, Jayne went from one film into the next, after filming The Girl Can't Help It she signed for The Wayward Bus, the film had some box office success and good notices, especially for Mansfield's performance. So with the huge success of “Girl” and the good reviews from “Bus”, Mansfield had become a big star and the studio was ready to throw her into the screen adaptation of her hit play, Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?.
The film was nominated for the Golden Bear at the 7th Berlin International Film Festival (lost to Sidney Lumet's 12 Angry Men).[1]
Plot
Alice Chicoy (Joan Collins) is the wife of driver Johnny (Rick Jason). He owns a small and rundown little bus that makes side trips. Alice is the owner of a little restaurant and likes liquor a bit too much. Unhappy with what has become of her life, she decides to "surprise" her husband mid-way through his bus trip. Among the passengers, Camille Oakes (Jayne Mansfield) is the shamed burlesque dancer on the way to a well-paying job in San Juan and gets caught up in a flirtation with traveling salesman Ernest Horton (Dan Dailey). Most of the story takes place on the charter bus. Slowly making their way through a treacherous California mountain region, the passengers undergo a variety of life-altering experiences. The journey has its most profound effects upon the iconoclastic salesman and the lonely stripper.
Cast
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Jayne Mansfield | Camille Oakes |
| Joan Collins | Alice Chicoy |
| Dan Dailey | Ernest Horton |
| Rick Jason | Johnny Chicoy |
| Betty Lou Keim | Norma, the counter girl |
| Dolores Michaels | Mildred Pritchard |
| Larry Keating | Elliott Pritchard |
| Robert Bray | Morse |
| Kathryn Givney | Mrs. Elliott (Bernice) Pritchard |
References
- ^ "IMDB.com: Awards for The Wayward Bus". imdb.com. Retrieved 2009-12-30.
