PICNIC

US, 1955, 113 minutes, Colour.
William Holden, Kim Novak, Rosalind Russell, Betty Field, Susan Strasberg, Cliff Robertson, Arthur O'Connell, Nick Adams.
Directed by Joshua Logan.

Picnic was a successful Broadway play written by William Inge. It was adapted for the screen by the author and directed by Joshua Logan. Logan is an uneven director with a penchant for spectaculars, e.g. Sayonara, South Pacific, Camelot, Paint Your Wagon. He keeps Picnic in much more control than his usual films. He is well aided by a strong cast including William Holden in the central role and with Rosalind Russell as the frustrated spinster. Cliff Robertson, Kim Novak and Susan Strasburg appear early in their careers. The film is melodramatic in plot and tone, showing the drifter who is the sign of contradiction within an ordinary American family. The atmosphere of the small town and its frustrations are well recreated. Picnic is an interesting and entertaining film, worth discussing.

1. The overtones of the title? The picnic itself and its joy and the irony of violence at the end? The use of colour and the use of music?

2. How did the film create its atmosphere? The small town? The wheat silos? The atmosphere of the picnic itself and its details? The collage of enjoyment at the picnic? As a picture of the United States at a particular period? The values implied?

3. How successful was the technique of the stranger entering and leaving the town? The changes wrought during his stay?

4. The action takes place over one day. The film was based on a play. Is this evident in the screenplay? In the realism of the play? Does this matter?

5. How attractive was Hal as a hero? What kind of person was he? His sports background? His non-academic background? His explanation of himself and his difficult upbringing? His not having friends? His reputation with women? The energy and drive with which he put himself across? Was he a sympathetic hero? Too much of a conman? The incident of the encounter with the nun at the train? His charming the widow for breakfast? The women attracted to him? His behaviour at the picnic and being the life of the party? Did you feel pity for him by the end of the film?

6. How did he contrast with Allan? Allan with his rich background and success (although not a success in his father's eyes)? The friendship with Allan, Allan's later jealousy? His violence towards Hal? How did this reveal Allan as a person?

7. How convincingly presented was the Owen family? The mother and her concern for her daughters? Her behaviour on the day of the picnic? As a sympathetic person? Her relationship with the neighbour? The wise advice from the neighbour? Madge as the attractive daughter and Millie as the intellectual? Their possibilities in a small town? Freedom and restrictions?

8. How did Hal begin to change their lives from his first arrival? Did he change them in important ways? How?

9. The conflict between Madge and Millie? Between beauty and brains? What kind of person was Madge? Unimaginative, yet relying on her beauty? Millie and her reading and discussions and scholarships? The importance of their clash? How was each attracted to Hal?

10. How convincing was the portrait of Rosemary? Her role as a school teacher and boarder? Her frustration and longing for men's attention? Her bossing about of Howard? The way she enjoyed the picnic? Her advances to Hal and her sudden violent drunken rejection of them? was she a sympathetic character at any time? Was she a typical character? What were your impressions as she manoeuvred Howard into the wedding? Did she tell a lot of truth at the end of the evening? was this dissipated in the morning?

11. How successful was the film in presenting the progress of the picnic? Its collage of events and people's reactions? How time and mods changed and passed? From excitement to relaxation to the evening? The importance of Madge as the Queen of the picnic?

12. How well did the film show the changes between happiness and sorrow? Happiness and frustration?

13. Whose fault was it that there was the clash at the end? Was it Hal, because of his personality? His attention to Millie and fascination by Madge? (The importance of their dance together?) was it the fault of Rosemary and her frustrations, the drink, her relationship to Howard? Her advances to Hal and his rejection? Her bitterness? The implications of this for the fighting and Allan's reactions and frustrations?

14. What did the film reveal about a persons needs? Hal's explanation of himself to Madge? Their night together?

15. How dramatic was the resolution with the contrast between Rosemary's marriage and Hal's pleading for Madge to come with him? What decisions were needed here? How much determination on people's parts? Rosemary pushing? Howard (after helping Hal during the evening?) and his half-hearted resolution? Madge and the advice of her mother? The advice of the neighbour? Millie's support of her?

16. What was the significance of Madge's leaving the town? For freedom? Against restrictions? For love and happiness?

17. What insights into human behaviour did the film give? To characters in their ordinary environment? To the frustrations below the surface? The nature of success and failure? Marriage and love? Intelligence and lack of intelligence? Wealth and the lack of it?