Picnic

One of the biggest box-office attractions of the 1950s, Picnic was adapted by Daniel Taradash from the Pulitzer Prize-winning William Inge play. William Holden plays Hal Carter, a handsome drifter who ambles into a small Kansas town during the Labor Day celebration to look up old college chum Alan (Cliff Robertson, in his film debut). Hoping to hit up Alan for a job—or a handout—Hal ends up stealing his buddy's fiancee Madge Owens (Kim Novak). Hal also has a catnip effect on spinster schoolteacher Rosemary Sydney (Rosalind Russell), so much so that Rosemary makes a fool of herself in front of the whole town, nearly driving away her longtime beau Howard Bevans (Arthur O'Connell). Persuaded by his friends and family that Hal is no damn good, Madge is prepared to break off her relationship. As anyone who remembers the film's famous overhead closing shot knows, however, Madge is ultimately ruled by her heart and not her head. For a film set in Kansas, there's an awful lot of New York talent in the supporting cast (Susan Strasberg and Phyllis Newman come immediately to mind); still, the Midwestern ambience comes through loud and clear, especially during the perceptively detailed Labor Day picnic sequence. Broadening the film's appeal is its George Duning-Steve Allen title song, a variation of the old standard "Moonglow". Two sidebars: The original Broadway production of Picnic starred Ralph Meeker and Paul Newman; for the film version of Picnic, William Holden was obliged to shave his chest, lest his hairy torso cause the female moviegoers to conjure up impure thoughts. — Hal Erickson

AMG Review: Based on a highly acclaimed play and awarded numerous Oscar nominations, Picnic has not aged as well as many other films from the same period. What in 1955 seemed daring and erotic now comes across as overly obvious and frightfully tame, a great deal of much ado about nothing. Worse, the film belies its stage origins, always feeling like a play instead of a movie, despite logical attempts to open it up. Speeches which had a significant impact onstage come across as mannered and artificial, and director Joshua Logan has a difficult time setting up shots and sequences involving more than two or three characters. Still, there's an undercurrent of deeper meaning underneath the surface that still manages to make its presence felt in a powerful way, and the famous dance segment still packs a punch. Although too old for the part, William Holden conveys the hidden desperation and fear of his character well and has the right physical presence the role requires. Kim Novak gives one of her better performances; the somewhat disconnected feeling she brings to her roles works well for a young girl who is disconnected from her surroundings and her future. Many may feel that Rosalind Russell goes too far over the top, but it's a brave attempt that mostly works and that creates some touching and deeply painful moments. As her love interest, Arthur O'Connell has a quite strength that plays very nicely off of Russell. Picnic also benefits from its rich cinematography, capturing the golden tones of a summer day with beauty and precision, and from its sinuous score. Logan would direct the film version of another Inge play, Bus Stop, the following year. — Craig Butler