The Wayward Bus (1957)

Director:

Victor Vicas

Writers:

Ivan Moffat
John Steinbeck (novel)

Release Date:

27 May 1957 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

The Steinbeck people! The Steinbeck passions! The Steinbeck power!

Plot Keywords:

Based On Novel

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Joan Collins	...	Alice Chicoy
Jayne Mansfield	...	Camille Oakes
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
Dee Pollack	...	Ed 'Pimples' Carson
Will Wright	...	Van Brunt
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Roy Bourgeois	...	Andrews (uncredited)
Mary Carroll	...	Mrs. Breed (uncredited)
Harry Carter	...	Bus Driver (uncredited)
Joe Devlin	...	Bus Dispatcher (uncredited)
Milton Frome	...	Stanton (uncredited)
Tom Greenway	...	Mr. Breed (uncredited)
Anna Luther	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
James Stone	...	Jowett (uncredited)
Harry Tyler	...	Ticket Seller (uncredited)
Ruth Warren	...	Bit Role (uncredited)

Directed by
Victor Vicas

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Ivan Moffat
John Steinbeck		novel "The Wayward Bus"

Produced by
Charles Brackett	....	producer

Original Music by
Leigh Harline

Cinematography by
Charles G. Clarke

Film Editing by
Louis R. Loeffler

Casting by
George Light		(uncredited)

Art Direction by
Walter M. Simonds
Lyle R. Wheeler

Set Decoration by
Fay Babcock
Walter M. Scott

Costume Design by
Charles Le Maire		(executive wardrobe designer)
Mary Wills

Makeup Department
Ben Nye	....	makeup artist
Helen Turpin	....	hair stylist
Sidney Perell	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
William Eckhardt	....	assistant director
Claude Binyon Jr.	....	second assistant director (uncredited)

Sound Department
Alfred Bruzlin	....	sound
Frank Moran	....	sound
Don Raubiere	....	recordist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
L.B. Abbott	....	special effects

Camera and Electrical Department
David McEwen	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Ray Nolan	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Cliff Shirpser	....	assistant camera (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Willie Mae Neal	....	wardrobe (uncredited)
Merle Williams	....	wardrobe (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Lyman Hallowell	....	assistant editor (uncredited)
Orven Schanzer	....	first assistant editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Lionel Newman	....	conductor
Edward B. Powell	....	orchestrator

Other crew
Harry Seymour	....	dialogue coach (uncredited)
Kay Thackery	....	script supervisor (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Distributors

• Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation (1957) (USA) (theatrical)
• Centfox (1957) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Twilight Time Video (2011) (Canada) (DVD)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

87 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System) | 4-Track Stereo (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Finland:K-12 | Sweden:15 | West Germany:18

Filming Locations:

20th Century Fox Studios - 10201 Pico Blvd., Century City, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

Originally planned as a vehicle for Marlon Brando, to be directed by Henry Hathaway.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Hollywood Screen Tests: Take 2 (1999) (TV)

Jayne's finest hour?

Like many Steinbeck stories, this is more of a snapshot of a time and place as opposed to a rigid start-middle-end kind of movie. What we get here is a look into the lives of a bunch of characters with many of their respective futures left open to interpretation.

So we have the buffoonish travelling salesman, the alcoholic diner owner, the teen dreaming of Hollywood stardom, the rugged bus driver, the embarrassed stripper, the repressed teen...the list goes on. Basically, a cross section of society travel on a bus whose journey is as unpredictable and dangerous as that of the lives of most of the passengers aboard.

While it's not the most riveting of movies, and the vastness of Cinemascope certainly spoils the intimacy of some of the scenes, it is a solid little drama in the kitchen sink/new wave style that is an entertaining watch from start to finish. While the copy I own on DVD has clearly been copied from a television broadcast resulting in fluffy picture and muffled sound, I still enjoyed (and repeatedly enjoy) watching this film.

The standout? But Jayne Mansfield of course. If Marilyn silenced the critics that she could act with a movie about a bus, then so did our Jayne. Of course the platinum blonde tresses and eye-popping figure are present and correct but gone are the silly wiggle, the high pitched squeals and the plunging necklines. Here, in a rare straight dramatic performance, Jayne present Camille not as a cartoon character a la Jessica Rabbit, but rather a sex symbol with feelings, someone who is employed for her looks but has fears and emotions beneath the surface. Jayne moves and talks naturally in this film and is a revelation.

How sad that after this solid performance and her wonderful turn as Rita Marlow in Rock Hunter, ego would dictate that she would agree to appear with Cary Grant in what many consider the final nail in her A-list film career, Kiss Them For Me...a truly abysmal waste of time.

But forget about her career mistakes; Jayne is solid gold here and this is well worth a watch.