I'm still in Mansfield mode, and since I was home sick today, I figured I'd binge a couple of her films. I started today with
The Wayward Bus, which I purchased off of Zeus a couple of months ago.
The Wayward Bus was Mansfield's first picture following her breakthrough with
The Girl Can't Help It. The film was based on John Steinbeck's 1947 novel, and had been tabled as a possible production, with a variety of stars, directors, and writers attached throughout the early 1950s. It finally found its home at 20th Century-Fox, who felt the film version of said novel would be an ideal vehicle for two of its rising stars: Jayne Mansfield and Joan Collins, both of whom had enjoyed success with the studio, and whom executives felt had potential to develop as more serious actresses.
The story primarily takes place on a passenger bus called Sweetheart, the "Wayward Bus" of the title, and chronicles the lives of the variety of passengers traveling to San Juan, Mexico. The bus stop owner, the forty-something Alice (Joan Collins), is married to the slightly younger, Johnny (Rick Jason), whose also the bus driver. Working for them is a cute waitress named Norma and Johnny's something a right arm, a young man originally called Pimples, but who later requests to be called by his given name Ed. Mr. and Mrs. Pritchard are traveling to hopefully reel in their fast-moving daughter, Mildred, who has her eyes on the good-looking Johnny. There's also a smooth talking traveling salesman in the mix, by name of Ernest (Dan Dailey), and a crabby businessman called Brunt.
Miss Mansfield is as beautiful as ever as stripteaser Camille Oakes, a woman seemingly unsatisfied with her choice of career, but who seems somehow conformed to it. Early into the picture, she makes a phone call to inform her next client that she's running a tad behind schedule. He tells her that he liked her pictures showcased in the latest edition of some magazine, the name of which is not mentioned. It so happens that the magazine is on the magazine shelf behind her, and Ernest ends up taking on the bus with them. Ernest is smitten with Camille, but she initially rebuffs his advances. Mr. Pritchard wants to "go into business with Ernest" in California, presumably as a playboy-type charade with call girls, such as Camille, although Ernest doesn't know anything of Camille's past and doesn't share in Mr. Pritchard's ambitions. It isn't long before Ernest's smooth talking wins Camille over and she decides that he is precisely the man she wishes to settle down with.
And it goes on from there. You can watch it for yourself to get filled in on the rest of it.
The Wayward Bus enjoyed reasonable critical and financial success upon its release in 1957. Overall, reviews could certainly be classified as mixed, but not all were negative, while some were generally rewarding. As many reviewers will tell you, and as I am fixing to, Joan Collins is totally miscast here. Her character is to be perceived as a slightly older alcoholic, but she hasn't the age or depth to her acting to make her portrayal close to convincing. (That's a tidbit for you diehard J.C. fans on SC.) As for Jayne, she does rather well with the material given. She couldn't be identified as the sole star of this picture (it's generally an ensemble effort here), but I'd say she was a drawing card for what success this movie got at the box office. Her performance as Camille, a tortured stripper, has been described as subtle, but effective. It certainly isn't typical of the roles she is primarily remembered for playing; the dumb, brightly dressed, dolled up, squealing blonde bombshell that giggles and wiggles. This is something totally different for her, and she does good stretching her legs.
Visually, her appearance here, especially her platinum hair in this crisp B&W picture, brings back to my memories of how Monroe was later photographed in her final picture,
The Misfits. Her wardrobe is toned down compared to the likes of
The Girl Can't Help It and
Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?, but that doesn't draw back on her attractiveness. She's just as lovely here, perhaps even more so, from a certain perspective, than she was in the other films because she's shown, at least outwardly, with a tad more dignity.
In conclusion,
The Wayward Bus is the type of film I generally love; it's got an ensemble cast, intertwining story lines and characters, and a unifying setting to bring them all together. In saying that, this move isn't without its own faults. Apparently, the novel on which it was based had to be "cleaned up" to meet the censors approval, and the reason for its rarity today is because Steinbeck's heirs weren't happy with the film's outcome. I don't have any major complaints about the structure or the execution of said material, but I would say this is a landmark Jayne Mansfield film. Her performance here is quite good, and gives us a slice of just how she could have developed in her acting chops had she been given the chance to do so. She wasn't allowed to, however, and she stuck to the caricature-type that paid her bills for the rest of her carer.
Give
The Wayward Bus a gander. You shouldn't be disappointed.
BELOW
While their bus is stuck in a large puddle of water, Ernest (Dan Dailey) tries his hand at wooing Camille (Jayne Mansfield).
