1955 – Picnic

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Picnic – 1955

I’ve never once thought of William Holden as sexy… until now!  Holy cow!  Picnic is the first film that I have seen that was nominated for Best Picture that has been overtly sexy.  Romantic, sure, but never as sizzling as Picnic.  That being said, I’ll admit that the sexy aspect was really only a single scene, but man, they really turned up the heat!

I liked the film for that, but I liked it even more because it had some great characters, some fantastic acting, and an engaging plot.  This was really a great film.  I only have one complaint, and since it is such a minor one, I’ll just get it out of the way right here.  The story took place in the 50s and some of the lingo of the decade was a little hokey, at least to my modern ears.  But don’t worry.  It was easy to get past it.

The film starred, William Holden, of course, along with Kim Novak, Rosalind Russell, Cliff Robertson, and Susan Strasberg.  Holden played Hal Carter, a young hobo.  In search of a better life, he makes his way to a small, sleepy town in Kansas where one of his old college buddies lives.  Robertson plays Alan Benson, the wealthy town snob who welcomes Hal and offers to give him a job working for his family’s business.  Alan’s gorgeous girlfriend, Madge, is played by Novak.  As soon as Hal meets Madge, sparks fly and the two fall in lust with each other.

So here is the great thing about Hal’s character.  He knows he is a bum, but he puts on a good face and really makes an effort to do the right thing.  He goes out of his way to be friendly with Madge without making any advances.  He doesn’t want to get in between her and Alan.  But Madge isn’t in love with Alan.  That love triangle is the main plot, but the sub-plot brought in by Rosemary, played by Rosalind Russell, is nearly just as interesting.  She is an old-maid school teacher who often boasts about the many men in her past who have wanted to marry her.  She claims to have no need of any man, but the truth shows her to be positively desperate for a husband.  The only man interested in her is Howard Bevans, played by Arthur O’Connell.  She treats him horribly, but when Hal comes to town, Rosemary loses control as she is reminded of all the suitors who no longer desire her.

Russell blew me out of the water.  Her part was so well written and she did an incredible job.  The desperation of her character when she drunkenly throws herself at Hal was uncomfortable to watch, and the bitter anger she portrays when he rejects her is raw and real.  But it was the scene in which she breaks down and pathetically begs Howard to marry her that was absolutely captivating.

The film’s centerpiece, of course, was the town picnic.  Everything that happens before the picnic is set-up and character development, for which the Daniel Taradash, the man who wrote the screenplay, deserves an honorable mention.  Then, during the picnic, emotions are high and the sexy, sexy, “Moonglow” sequence takes place.

Just a quick setup: Hal has actually taken Madge’s little sister, Millie, played by Susan Strasberg, to the picnic.  They are on a dock by the river and listening to the music of the jazz band.  The music turns softer and more romantic.  Hal is trying to teach the awkward young girl a few moves.  Then from behind him, Madge appears and starts dancing to the bands gentle sounds.  She and Hal lock eyes as she approaches the dock.  The two take each other’s hands and it is all over.

The slow and sensual dance that follows is made all the more steamy because they never once stop looking into each other’s eyes.  The expressions on their faces are ones of passion, desire, hunger, and need.  Even though Holden was far too old to play the part, this scene made me buy it, hook, line, and sinker.

The whole movie was so well done.  Great drama!  So why didn’t it win Best Picture?  Well, it was up against Marty with Ernest Borgnine.  Kind of hard to beat that one.