Arthur O'Connell was one of those great character actors that always added something special to every film in which he appeared. O'Connell's performance in BUS STOP is understated and heartfelt. Director Joshua Logan does a fine job with the actors, but really can't seem to overcome the staginess of the material, despite outdoor sequences and the use of CinemaScope. The cast of BUS STOP also includes Betty Field, Eileen Heckart, Robert Bray, Hope Lange and Hans Conried. The image is usually very pleasing, appearing very crisp with a solid level of definition.
Some shots appear a little soft, but they usually include some form of optical transitions.
Colors are stronger than they have appeared in the past, appearing very solid and convincing. Flesh tones generally look natural, although Marilyn's makeup makes her character appear quite pale. Additionally, there are no signs of chroma noise or smearing to mar the presentation. I would imagine the restored color looks a whole lot better here, than it did in the original DeLuxe prints from 1956. Blacks seem solid and the image has a very respectable level of shadow detail, as well as depth.