Picnic
Quick Summary
The film Picnic, directed by Joshua Logan in 1955, is based on William Inge's 1953 Pulitzer Prize-winning drama of the same name. The story is set in a small Kansas town and centers on a group of lonely women whose lives are disrupted by the arrival of a charismatic drifter. The film captures the frustrations and limitations often experienced in Midwestern life. Logan, a notable director known for his work on Broadway and in Hollywood, also directed the film adaptation of another Inge play, Bus Stop.12
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William Holden…a washed-up football player in Picnic (1955). Holden memorably played the escaped POW Shears in the classic The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957).
Read More…a washed-up football player in Picnic (1955). Holden memorably played the escaped POW Shears in the classic The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957).
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Kim NovakIn Picnic (1956), which starred William Holden, Novak’s character—a small-town young woman—laments always being “the pretty one” instead of “the smart one.” Novak earned a nomination for a British Academy of Film and Television Arts award for that role. Picnic is often considered her breakthrough film.…
Read MoreIn Picnic (1956), which starred William Holden, Novak’s character—a small-town young woman—laments always being “the pretty one” instead of “the smart one.” Novak earned a nomination for a British Academy of Film and Television Arts award for that role. Picnic is often considered her breakthrough film.…
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Cliff Robertson…premiere in the romantic drama Picnic (1955). He played the lead role of guitar player Val Xavier in the original stage production of Tennessee Williams’s Orpheus Descending (1957) and received acclaim for his television performance as an alcoholic in Playhouse 90’s Days of Wine and Roses (1958).
Read More…premiere in the romantic drama Picnic (1955). He played the lead role of guitar player Val Xavier in the original stage production of Tennessee Williams’s Orpheus Descending (1957) and received acclaim for his television performance as an alcoholic in Playhouse 90’s Days of Wine and Roses (1958).
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