Picnic | 
 enlarge | Director: Joshua Logan
Actors: William Holden, Kim Novak, Betty Field, Susan Strasberg, Cliff Robertson
Studio: Sony Pictures
Category: DVD
List Price: $19.94
Buy New: $12.49
You Save: $7.45 (37%)
New (35) Used (12) Collectible (1) from $10.99
Rating:  111 reviews
Sales Rank: 6021
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Full Screen, Ntsc
Languages: English (Original Language), Spanish (Original Language), English (Subtitled), Spanish (Subtitled), Portuguese (Subtitled), Chinese (Subtitled), Thai (Subtitled), Portuguese (Dubbed)
Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Number Of Items: 1
Running Time: 113
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
DVD Layers: 1
DVD Sides: 2
Picture Format: Array
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.3
Dimensions (in): 7.5 x 5.1 x 0.6
MPN: 043396828797
ISBN: 0767827791
UPC: 043396828797
EAN: 9780767827799
ASIN: 0767827791
Theatrical Release Date: January 1, 1955
Release Date: April 18, 2000
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
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Product Description
Drama on the impact of a virile, egotistical drifter on the lives of 5 women in a small Kansas town.
Genre: Feature Film-Drama
Rating: PG
Release Date: 18-APR-2000
Media Type: DVD
Amazon.com
William Holden is the hunky drifter who rides the rails into a small Midwest town with dreams of landing a "respectable" job with his rich college buddy (Cliff Robertson). Kim Novak is the small-town beauty queen engaged to Robertson who falls for the cocky dreamer, as do repressed schoolmarm spinster Rosalind Russell and Novak's tomboyish kid sister Susan Strasberg. Their unleashed passions reach a crescendo at the Labor Day picnic. Joshua Logan directed William Inge's play on Broadway and carried it to Hollywood, earning Oscar nominations for Best Picture and Best Director in his screen-directing debut. Holden is years too old for the role but oozes sex appeal and makes a swoony stud when he takes his shirt off (or when, better yet, it's ripped from his back by a boozing Russell), and Novak is a lovely lost girl yearning for something she can't quite grasp. Arthur O'Connell earned an Oscar nomination as Russell's tippling boyfriend. The film was a huge popular and critical hit, but Logan's stiff and strident direction hasn't dated well. He makes his points in big capital letters--subtlety was never his strong point--and loses the natural beauty of the Kansas locations when he takes the climactic picnic scenes into an obviously artificial soundstage. Picnic remains a loved American classic, largely for Holden's tough-guy vulnerability and James Wong Howe's brilliant widescreen color photography. --Sean Axmaker
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| Customer Reviews: Read 106 more reviews...
 Picnic August 15, 2008
Brought back many pleasant memories to my wife and I from our high school days. This has always been a favorite movie of ours.
A great movie! July 16, 2008
I like the movie so well on TCM I'm going to order a copy to watch again. This is a rarity for me.
Picnic film, beautiful romantic film July 8, 2008
I love this movie, it's one of my favorites. I am a fan of William Holden. He was handsome, charismatic, a great actor. Known for his popular films, such as World of Suzie Wong, Love is a many splendored thing, Sabrina, Bridge on the river kwai, and others. I loved him in this movie as Hal the drifter, who catches a freight to Kansas to see an old college friend of his, whose father owns the grain mill in town. Hal ends up falling in love with Madge, his college friend's girlfriend, which breaks up the friendship. I think the best part of the movie is when Hal and Madge dance to "Moonglow" at the picnic, and it seems like that is the moment when they first fall in love. Hal has to run out of town and catch a freight train again, because his ex-friend is furious, because he suspects that Madge and Hal have fallen for each other. Madge's mom who doesn't believe in marrying for love, since the man she loved, Madge's father, left them after she had Madge's sister. She wants Madge to marry Hal's friend, because the friend is a rich boy, and member of the country club. She wants Madge to be treated like a queen, and live the good life. She wants Madge to always be adored by everyone for her looks. Madge is the prettiest girl at the picnic and wins the beauty contest there. Madge just wants to be loved for who she is, not for the way she looks, and of course Hal is attracted to her looks at first, but loves her for who she is. In reality though, it isn't realistic usually for people to fall deeply in love instantly. But if you love romance, Bill Holden, a beautifully made film, good acting, and a good cast, you will love "Picnic." And if you love the song "Moonglow", you will definitely enjoy watching William Holden and Kim Novak dancing together to it. The only question is will Hal and Madge end up together? Will she marry Hal's rich ex-friend? Will she go with Hal or follow him out of town to be with him, "the man she loves", or will she stay and make her mother happy? You will find the answer of course, if you buy "Picnic." I think this is a movie one will not regret purchasing, as long as you love old romantic films, William Holden, and of course, "Moonglow." This truly is one of my very favorite films. Also I wrote a review on Marie Antoinette, which I also love. I love most of William Holden's films, such as Love is a many splendored thing, World of Suzie Wong, and Sabrina. So check out these other films, if you haven't seen them already, I don't think you will be disappointed. I believe you will love them as I do, and they will be your top favorite films too!
A Trip Back To Small Town America In The 50's June 7, 2008
Having seen Picnic on television years ago and then having it disappear not to be shown again I wanted to find a copy of it. I was happy to see that it had been reissued! Even though the film is not in widescreen format(a big disappointment)it is a trip through some very simple and nostalgic times. Loaded with wonderful character acters and soon to be big stars it almost makes you want to relive the 50's. I could relate to many of the characters as being people that I had grown up around. Verna Felton was wonderful, but then so was William Holden and Rosalind Russell. If you want to escape from our complicated world and have a few hours of nostalgia I highly recommend Picnic.
A Classic May 21, 2008
Picnic is one of the best films to come out of mid '50's Hollywood. Taken from William Inge's play, it is unique in that the entire film takes place in exactly 24 hours. Yet, by the end, you KNOW each and every character. William Holden heads a stellar cast. Excellent summer viewing.
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