Corny picnic satire was in vogue among English music before Gilbert and Sullivan’s 1871 Thespis, or The Gods Grown Old. Typical “The Pic-Nic” is sung to the air of “Here’s the Maiden of Bashful Fifteen” from Sheridan’s The...
Being Anglophile and aware of London happenings, Irving probably picked up the aftermath of the Pic Nic Society scandal during his tour of Europe 1804-1806. The word stuck, but it’s used only once as an adjective to mean something silly. Under the heading “Fashions by...
Donald Duck’s beach picnic makes a joke of expectations. Intending a pleasant day at the beach, Donald is upset and bedeviled with turmoil. Especially the ants, dressed in war paint like “Native Americans,” steal Donald’s picnic. The idea is...
Renoir’s close adaptation of Guy de Maupassant’s Partie de Campagne is about the sad romantic consequences of a family picnic. Even the menu is Maupassant’s: fried fish, stewed rabbit [fricassee], salad, beer, claret, and coffee. However, Renoir...
Food is untouched, and wine is untasted when Joe and Claire’s picnic is interrupted by a runaway balloon. Michell’s adaptation of Enduring Love makes a show of champagne, but the food is unspecified. McEwan’s novel includes an expansive menu for the...
Minelli’s Madame Bovary is inclined to the spirit of Flaubert’s novel rather than its narrative. Emma’s wedding dinner, however, is true to the original, emphasizing Emma’s dismay and the guests’ vulgarity, buffoonery, drinking, and...
Dmytryk’s picnic is a traditional affair on the rocky ledge of the Shawmucky River: a blanket, food, and a demijohn of corn liquor. It begins happily and ends with a kiss. The day’s happiness is a prelude to John Shawnessey’s love affair and unfortunate marriage to...
Alan J. Pakula’s Sophie’s Choice includes two picnics: one in Prospect Park’s Vale of Cashmere and the other on the porch roof of their rooming house. Both are missed opportunities, especially because of Styron’s description of how Sophie Zawistowska’s picnics mask...
Suds. Hamptons, New York, and Paris. Money. Two middle-aged beauties find romance and love. Perfect beach house. Perfect weather, Perfect wine. Aw shucks. “Erica and Harry sit on a blanket on a cloudy day, having a picnic lunch. Harry is telling Erica a story, and she...
Varda’s satirical idea is that family happiness depends on male arrogance and female docility. She suggests that if wives are replaceable, a man can lose one and simply replace it with another. Voila, happiness. François Chevalier supposes that a husband needs a...
