Director: Victor Vicas
Sometimes, they say that when you're upset with something or someone, just take a walk. Get away from the problematic situation and go for a stroll or a drive. When you come back, things will seem clearer. It is similar to saying, take a nap; things will often look better in the morning. The issue will still exist, but you'll be in a better frame of mind to deal with it.
This film is an adaptation of John Steinbeck's novel of the same name. It also attempts to present Jayne Mansfield as a serious actress, but unfortunately, it did little to shake her stereotype as a ditsy blonde. Rick Jason, known to 80s children as Lt. Henley in Combat! (1962-1967), plays one of the main roles. To be frank, there is no single central character in this film. Everyone is given significance.
Set in a rural US-Mexico border town, the story begins with a young couple. Chicory drives a battered bus, taking passengers across the border. His wife, a frustrated young woman, runs a small café with a B&B to accommodate the occasional traveller and passengers. She is openly suspicious of any young woman who appears there. She fears her husband might run off with one of them. Even the many young waitresses who have worked there as casual staff suffer from her mistrustful glances. She is also struggling to overcome her addiction to alcohol.
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| Rick Jason (of 'Combat' fame) and Jayne Mansfield are seen in the frame. Also appearing in the film is Joan Collins of Dynasty fame. |
Her latest waitress resigns and leaves for San Juan on the bus Chico is driving.
On the bus, there are several other intriguing characters. A cultured older couple with a rebellious adult daughter, a travelling salesman, a pretty blonde with a shady past, and an elderly man rushing to make his 4 pm appointment in San Juan.
Everyone has their internal disagreements. The older, overprotective couple is unhappy with their daughter's choice of life partner. They hope the trip will make her see reason. A travelling salesman isn't taken seriously enough by any lady as a boyfriend. The blonde, Jayne Mansfield, is currently away from her life as an exotic dancer in LA for a stint in San Juan. The hurried old man, who, as he mentioned, has a life-or-death appointment, is actually meeting his beloved to propose in San Juan. Chico, the driver, is also annoyed with his money-minded and suspicious wife, who is also drinking excessively. Chico had left home after a quarrel and had promised never to return.
The journey, marred by heavy rain, landslides, and detours, proved to be a soul-searching endeavour that helped everyone on board gain better insight into how to handle the uncertainties that had befallen them.
Good storyline. Good acting. 7/10.
