Journal Entry #13

Picnic

Movie:  1955, color, and 115 min.

• Director:  Joshua Logan
• Actors: William Holden, Kim Novak, Betty Field, and Rosalind Russell.

Hal Carter stops into a Kansas town to visit an old friend from college, Alan Benson. It happens to be Labor Day and at the community’s picnic Carter causes quite a stir as his buddy’s bride to be begins to fall in love with him and out of love with her fiancé, Benson.

How does music aid the mood of the film?

Music aids the mood of the film in the sense that without it William Holden’s emotions would not be so powerful. They add to his anger, his joy etc… Holden is a very expressive actor. From his facial expression and body language one can easily understand his specific feeling that is supposed to come across the screen. The music in the film is an even more empowering tool to his reactions. The dramatic music conveys the darkness of his character due to the mystery behind his being a drifter. It enhances every vein that is being strained when he works in the old woman yard; it ameliorates his charm and gives an overall kick to his acting that brings it to absolute perfection.

What are some of the clichés in the film and how does Logan’s mise en scene support that?

Some of the clichés in the film include the very small town by which is a close-knit, everyone knows everyone sort of thing that the director displays when he has Holden’s character throw around Benson’s name to receive an immediate response from the gals he happens to be surrounded by. Then we have openness of the community, their willingness to accept a complete stranger like Hal Carter, this cliché is embodied by the old woman. Then we have the younger sister of Madge who is the epitome of a sort of tomboy, nerd, glasses and such and a lack of style. Her exquisite sister upstages her inability to charm boys. A woman who has the two men in the palm of her hands. The typical diversity between a sisters pair often demonstrated in films. Finally the mother who wants the best for her daughter. A classic situation that is presented before Madge of whether to choose Love or Money.