Picnic by William Inge: Stage vs. Screen

“I think we plan picnics just to give ourselves an excuse…to let something thrilling and romantic happen to us.”

Mrs. Potts

Playwright William Inge knew a lot about small-town life in the Midwest.

As a Kansas native, Inge’s observations of close knit communities gave him an intimate understanding of the heartbeat of ordinary people which he infused into some of his most successful works – Come Back, Little Sheba; Bus Stop; and Splendor in the Grass.

Inspired by the lonely, unhappy women his mother took on as boarders when he was a boy, his Pulitzer Prize winning play, Picnic, centers around the effect of a handsome drifter on a sleepy Kansas town, especially its women.

Picnic lets us into the inner circle of these women in varying stages of life.

There’s the elderly Mrs. Potts, a romantic whose life consists of taking care of her disagreeable mother; Rosemary Sydney, an unfulfilled spinster; Millie Owens, an intelligent tomboy discovering her womanhood; Madge Owens, the town beauty who longs for value and purpose; and Flo Owens, a protective mother with a wounded past.

Hal Carter’s arrival on the day of the Labor Day picnic causes each of these women to reflect on their lives – the shattered expectations of the past, a weary dissatisfaction with the present, and their expectant hopes for the future.

As summer ends and a new season begins, some act upon their feelings, while others don’t, and we are left contemplating our lives just as if Hal rolled into our own town.

On Stage

Picnic came to the Broadway stage in 1953. Its original cast featured Ralph Meeker as Hal Carter, Eileen Heckart as Rosemary Sydney, Arthur O’Connell as Howard Bevans, Janice Rule as Madge Owens, Kim Stanley as Millie Owens, and Paul Newman – in his Broadway debut, as Alan Seymour.

The glaring and most interesting difference between the play and the film is the actual picnic: the metaphorical climax of the story when our characters feelings burst forth from beneath their facades causing them to face what they have been desperately trying to deny.

Because the entire play takes place between the back porches of Mrs. Potts and Mrs. Owens, the titular picnic occurs off stage, with half of our cast not even attending the event.

Imagine that – Picnic with no picnic!

This also means scenes set elsewhere are only talked about, such as the crowning of Madge as Queen, or they are relocated to the back porch set, such as the fight between Hal and Alan and the pivotal dance scene.

As for the difference in tone, I love how Inge’s writing rings with a sense of urgency and expectancy, but was taken aback that this is barely felt in the film. We will talk more about the likely reason for that when we discuss the film, but take this line for example.

“Whenever I hear that train coming to town, I always get a feeling of excitement – in here. (Hugging her stomach). I always wonder, maybe some wonderful person is getting off here, just by accident, and he’ll come into the dime store for something and see me behind the counter, and he’ll study me very strangely and then decide I’m the person they’re looking for in Washington for an important job in the Espionage Department. (She is carried away). Or maybe he wants me for some great medical experiment that’ll save the whole human race.”

Madge Owens

Between Mrs. Potts ability to soak in the pleasantries of every moment, Hal’s desire to finally make something of himself, Rosemary’s desperation to end her loneliness, and Madge’s wish to escape her small-town existence, the ever present ticking of the clock is palpable in the play.

This aspect translates to the film and is brought out noticeably by Flo and Rosemary, but overall is subtly underscored compared to the source material.

I also appreciated the additional insights into the characters from Inge’s text. For instance we learn more about Mrs. Potts which adds greatly to our understanding of her motivations. We also gain a little more insight Hal’s family history and troubled background.

On Screen

Seeing the tremendous success of the stage production, Columbia Pictures’ Harry Cohn secured the rights to Picnic with his protégé Kim Novak in mind for the part of Madge.

William Holden in his last film under contractual obligation with the studio was cast as Hal Carter. Rosalind Russell accepted the part of Rosemary Sydney before director Logan could finish his offer. Arthur O’Connell and Reta Shaw reprised their roles from the stage, Cliff Robertson took the part of Alan, and Susan Strasberg was cast as Millie.

Picnic benefitted immensely from the cinematic treatment. The format of the medium opened up the story allowing picturesque settings to illustrate what theater goers had only imagined. Lofty grain towers, expansive fields, shimmering lakes, and speeding trains replaced the once static stage setting.

George Duning provided a score that was both romantic and restless, his musical vocabulary conveying what words could not express.

Director Josh Logan’s choice to film on location invites audiences to experience the town-wide picnic in all of its nostalgic Midwestern charm. With Kansas locals filling the screen beyond the few hundred hired extras, the picnic sequence is a shining example of 1950’s Americana on film.

James Wong Howe outdid himself with memorable photography, capturing the fun and excitement of the lawn games, the frenzy of the food challenges, and gradually winding down with images of exhausted babies, a dog eager for leftovers, and a blazing sunset as the long awaited day comes to its inevitable close.

Now to tackle the difference in tone, but a little background first. When writing Picnic for the stage, William Inge wanted to tell a somber, realistic story. Josh Logan, who directed both the play and the subsequent film, convinced Inge that a romantic ending would be more widely accepted by the public.

In the film, Logan continues in this tradition with the focus on longing and romance and with a few (much needed) additional lines of dialogue suggests a deeper connection between Hal and Madge than is found in the play.

With the Hay’s Code in effect, profanity and suggestive material were toned down and reduced to innuendo. But it is remarkable how much of Daniel Taradash’s (From Here to Eternity) screenplay is taken directly from Inge.

On screen, Alan’s story is also expanded. His strained relationship with his father stems from his feelings of inadequacy which are brought to the fore by former college football hero Hal.

I also found Hal to be much more sympathetic in the film. Could this be because William Holden is playing him? The answer is a big, resounding yes! In my book, Holden’s good natured charm goes a long way in tipping the scales in his favor.

Read my full review of Picnic (1955) here.

Closing Thoughts

Picnic might be set in the 1950’s and while its attitudes towards gender and societal norms are dated, its themes are timeless.

In a short narrative, Inge explores the power and limitations of beauty (for men and women), how far one will go to find happiness, coping with disappointment, loneliness, jealousy, the quest for self discovery, fear of the unknown. These universal truths will keep audiences coming back to Picnic not only at summertime, but all year round.

Where should you start if you haven’t yet familiarized yourself with the story? If you’re looking for a raw, unfiltered version where you can practically feel the heat, go for the play. If you enjoy romantic dramas with soaring scores and gorgeous cinematography, you can’t go wrong with the film.

As a huge fan of Picnic, I enjoyed both. But the film possesses an unprecedented allure due to its cinematic beauty paired with unforgettable performances from a magnetic cast.

This is my first review for the Classic Film Reading Challenge hosted by Raquel Stecher at Out of the Past. Discover my summer picks and find sign up information for the challenge here!