Picnic (1955)

Picnic (1955), directed by Joshua Logan.

A studly drifter arrives in a small Kansas town just in time to fluster the womenfolk on a hot Labor Day.

I see criticism that William Holden is too old, but I think that's the point. As for Kim Novak being passive: that, too, is her role: to be pretty and hurting but otherwise characterless. Her kid sister is the smart, lively one: Susan Strasberg doing a great job at age 17.

All the cast is fine, but I particularly like Rosalind Russell as a spinster teacher who really shouldn't drink, with Arthur O'Connell as her beau.

Two incidents of off-stage sex. You just have to understand.

1950s drama often implies "theater-based", and when the story is adapted from a play and the director is from the theater, then it's going to seem stagey at times and you can hear the playwright-speak in the dialogue. But James Wong Howe's cinematography opens it up nicely and makes good use of the wide open spaces.

Twilight Time limited edition Blu-ray with an isolated score and a blank subtitle track. That's an authoring glitch: subtitles are not on the menu or listed on the case. 2.55:1 aspect ratio.

Someone at TT must like Kim Novak: this is their third Blu-ray with her I have seen.

http://watershade.net/public/picnic.jpg