Bus Riley's Back in Town
Encyclopedia
Bus Riley's Back in Town (1965) is a movie written by William Inge
, directed by Harvey Hart, and starring Ann-Margret
and Michael Parks
.
The intense drama depicts a man (James Dean
look-alike
Parks) returning home from three years in the Navy
only to find that his girlfriend (Ann-Margret) has married an older man. He also finds out a male friend, who was holding a job for him while he was away, wants to live with him and apparently sleep with him as part of the bargain, giving a controversial gay
angle to the plot.
Jocelyn Brando
plays Riley's mother while Kim Darby
plays his sister, and Janet Margolin
plays Judy, a friend who loses her mother in a fire, and moves in with the Rileys, leading to a romance with Bus.
Inge stenuously objected when the film's focus was diverted from Riley to his girlfriend since this radically diverged from his original concept. He was so outraged that he insisted his writing credit be under the name of William Gage. The studio preferred to spotlight Ann-Margret, however, and the film is in fact one of the best showcases for her early, phenomenally seductive persona.
It is considered one of Michael Parks best showcases as well, highlighting talents unseen until the later opportunities he received in the horror flicks of Robert Rodriguez.
Bus Riley's Back in Town finds the hero returning to a world that is not quite the one he left behind. The unscrupulous and devastating ex-girlfriend (Ann Margeret) has apparently married an older and wealthier man. Bus Riley's relationship with her is no less than a drug, he cannot resist her as she she zaps him of all his morality and his resolve and sense of self. His mother watches him sink, trying to hold on to her son and leave him enough room to find his way back from the hell of sexual addiction. The film is provocative and sexy and yet rather sweet. Perhaps the between the two teen girls keep the film from devolving into bathetic melodrama. This is a crossroads when the 50's greaser chic meets 60's Beatle chic, a cultural phenomenon rarely noted.
Riley arrives back in town, determined to start his life anew. But his old girlfriend shows up and he soon is visiting her at night when her husband is out of town. Just when it seems he is losing himself again, his little sister's best friend's mother sets their house on fire in an alcoholic haze, killing herself and leaving the girl homeless. The tragedy brings the Rileys together as they remember what matters - family - and the young girlfriend finds a home with the Rileys.
It is interesting to note one piece of contemporary pop culture: Bruce Springsteens video for "I'm on Fire" is a homage to Bus Riley's Back in Town, with a young woman dropping off the keys to a charismatic young man under a car, and insisting he drop it off.
... Laurel
Michael Parks
... Bus Riley
Janet Margolin
... Judy
Brad Dexter
... Slocum
Jocelyn Brando
... Mrs. Riley
Larry Storch
... Howie
Crahan Denton
... Spencer
Kim Darby
... Gussie
Brett Somers
... Carlotta
Mimsy Farmer
... Paula
Nan Martin
... Mrs. Nichols
Lisabeth Hush ... Joy
Ethel Griffies
... Mrs. Spencer
Alice Pearce
... Housewife
Chet Stratton ... Benii
David Carradine
... Stretch
Marc Cavell ... Egg Foo
Parley Baer
... Jules Griswald
William Inge
William Motter Inge was an American playwright and novelist, whose works typically feature solitary protagonists encumbered with strained sexual relations. In the early 1950s, he had a string of memorable Broadway productions, and one of these, Picnic, earned him a Pulitzer Prize...
, directed by Harvey Hart, and starring Ann-Margret
Ann-Margret
Ann-Margret Olsson is a Swedish-American actress, singer and dancer whose professional name is Ann-Margret. She became famous for her starring roles in Bye Bye Birdie, Viva Las Vegas, The Cincinnati Kid, Carnal Knowledge, and Tommy...
and Michael Parks
Michael Parks
Michael Parks is an American actor and singer. He has appeared in almost fifty films and has made frequent TV appearances, but is probably best known for his work in recent years with Quentin Tarantino, Robert Rodriguez, and Kevin Smith as well as the 1969 television series Then Came...
.
The intense drama depicts a man (James Dean
James Dean
James Byron Dean was an American film actor. He is a cultural icon, best embodied in the title of his most celebrated film, Rebel Without a Cause , in which he starred as troubled Los Angeles teenager Jim Stark...
look-alike
Look-alike
A look-alike is a person who closely resembles another person. In popular Western culture, a look-alike is a person who bears a close physical resemblance to a celebrity, politician or member of royalty. Many look-alikes earn a living by making guest appearances at public events or performing on...
Parks) returning home from three years in the Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
only to find that his girlfriend (Ann-Margret) has married an older man. He also finds out a male friend, who was holding a job for him while he was away, wants to live with him and apparently sleep with him as part of the bargain, giving a controversial gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
angle to the plot.
Jocelyn Brando
Jocelyn Brando
Jocelyn Brando was an American film, stage and television actress.Her film debut came in the war movie China Venture with Edmond O'Brien and Barry Sullivan. Her best-known movie role was as detective Glenn Ford's doomed wife in the gangster film noir The Big Heat...
plays Riley's mother while Kim Darby
Kim Darby
Kim Darby is an American actress perhaps best known for co-starring with John Wayne and country singer/actor Glen Campbell in the 1969 western True Grit.-Early life and film career:...
plays his sister, and Janet Margolin
Janet Margolin
Janet Margolin was an American theater, television and film actress.- Early life :Margolin was born in New York City, the daughter of Benjamin Margolin, an accountant who was born in Russia and was founder and president of the Nephrosis Foundation, now the Kidney Foundation of New York...
plays Judy, a friend who loses her mother in a fire, and moves in with the Rileys, leading to a romance with Bus.
Inge stenuously objected when the film's focus was diverted from Riley to his girlfriend since this radically diverged from his original concept. He was so outraged that he insisted his writing credit be under the name of William Gage. The studio preferred to spotlight Ann-Margret, however, and the film is in fact one of the best showcases for her early, phenomenally seductive persona.
It is considered one of Michael Parks best showcases as well, highlighting talents unseen until the later opportunities he received in the horror flicks of Robert Rodriguez.
Bus Riley's Back in Town finds the hero returning to a world that is not quite the one he left behind. The unscrupulous and devastating ex-girlfriend (Ann Margeret) has apparently married an older and wealthier man. Bus Riley's relationship with her is no less than a drug, he cannot resist her as she she zaps him of all his morality and his resolve and sense of self. His mother watches him sink, trying to hold on to her son and leave him enough room to find his way back from the hell of sexual addiction. The film is provocative and sexy and yet rather sweet. Perhaps the between the two teen girls keep the film from devolving into bathetic melodrama. This is a crossroads when the 50's greaser chic meets 60's Beatle chic, a cultural phenomenon rarely noted.
Riley arrives back in town, determined to start his life anew. But his old girlfriend shows up and he soon is visiting her at night when her husband is out of town. Just when it seems he is losing himself again, his little sister's best friend's mother sets their house on fire in an alcoholic haze, killing herself and leaving the girl homeless. The tragedy brings the Rileys together as they remember what matters - family - and the young girlfriend finds a home with the Rileys.
It is interesting to note one piece of contemporary pop culture: Bruce Springsteens video for "I'm on Fire" is a homage to Bus Riley's Back in Town, with a young woman dropping off the keys to a charismatic young man under a car, and insisting he drop it off.
Cast
Ann-MargretAnn-Margret
Ann-Margret Olsson is a Swedish-American actress, singer and dancer whose professional name is Ann-Margret. She became famous for her starring roles in Bye Bye Birdie, Viva Las Vegas, The Cincinnati Kid, Carnal Knowledge, and Tommy...
... Laurel
Michael Parks
Michael Parks
Michael Parks is an American actor and singer. He has appeared in almost fifty films and has made frequent TV appearances, but is probably best known for his work in recent years with Quentin Tarantino, Robert Rodriguez, and Kevin Smith as well as the 1969 television series Then Came...
... Bus Riley
Janet Margolin
Janet Margolin
Janet Margolin was an American theater, television and film actress.- Early life :Margolin was born in New York City, the daughter of Benjamin Margolin, an accountant who was born in Russia and was founder and president of the Nephrosis Foundation, now the Kidney Foundation of New York...
... Judy
Brad Dexter
Brad Dexter
Brad Dexter , was an American actor.-Life and career:Dexter was born Boris Malanovich , in Goldfield, Nevada, of Serbian parentage. He spoke Serbian as his first language. Burly, dark and handsome, Brad Dexter was usually given supporting roles of a rugged character...
... Slocum
Jocelyn Brando
Jocelyn Brando
Jocelyn Brando was an American film, stage and television actress.Her film debut came in the war movie China Venture with Edmond O'Brien and Barry Sullivan. Her best-known movie role was as detective Glenn Ford's doomed wife in the gangster film noir The Big Heat...
... Mrs. Riley
Larry Storch
Larry Storch
Lawrence Samuel "Larry" Storch is an American actor best known for his comic television roles, including voice-over work for top cartoon shows, including Mr...
... Howie
Crahan Denton
Crahan Denton
Crahan Denton was an American stage and television actor.He was born in Seattle, Washington, United States.From 1945 until his death in 1966, Denton starred in many films, including The Great St...
... Spencer
Kim Darby
Kim Darby
Kim Darby is an American actress perhaps best known for co-starring with John Wayne and country singer/actor Glen Campbell in the 1969 western True Grit.-Early life and film career:...
... Gussie
Brett Somers
Brett Somers
Brett Somers was a American actress, singer, and comedienne who was born in Canada and raised in Maine...
... Carlotta
Mimsy Farmer
Mimsy Farmer
Mimsy Farmer is an American actress. Her nickname came from a line in Lewis Carroll's Jabberwocky; "All mimsy were the borogoves".-Career:...
... Paula
Nan Martin
Nan Martin
Nan Martin was an American actress who starred in movies and on television.Born in Decatur, Illinois and raised in Santa Monica, California, her first film role was The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit...
... Mrs. Nichols
Lisabeth Hush ... Joy
Ethel Griffies
Ethel Griffies
Ethel Griffies was an English actress of stage, screen, and television....
... Mrs. Spencer
Alice Pearce
Alice Pearce
Alicia “Alice” Pearce was an American actress. Brought to Hollywood by Gene Kelly to reprise her Broadway performance in the film version of On the Town , Pearce played comedic supporting roles in several films, before being cast as Gladys Kravitz in Bewitched in 1964...
... Housewife
Chet Stratton ... Benii
David Carradine
David Carradine
David Carradine was an American actor and martial artist, best known for his role as a warrior monk, Kwai Chang Caine, in the 1970s television series, Kung Fu, which later had a 1990s sequel series, Kung Fu: The Legend Continues...
... Stretch
Marc Cavell ... Egg Foo
Parley Baer
Parley Baer
Parley Edward Baer was an American actor in film, television, and radio.-Radio:Born in Salt Lake City, Utah, Baer had a circus background, but began his radio career at Utah station KSL...
... Jules Griswald