Variety review, November 5, 1975

B.E.F. (Film Distributors)-South Australian Film Corporation and Australian Film commission release of a McElroy and McElroy Productions presentation. Executive producer, Pat Lovell; producers, Jim McElroy, Hal McElroy; executive producer for South Australia, John Graves. Features entire cast. Directed by Peter Weir. Screenplay, Cliff Green, from novel by Joan Lindsay. Camera (color), Russell Boyd; art direction, David Copping; music, Bruce Smeaton. No other credits. previewed at Greater Union's Bercy Cinema, Melbourne, Oct. 21, '75. Running Time: 115 MINS.

Cast: Rachel Roberts, Dominic Guard, Vivean Gray, Helen Morse, Kirsty Child, Anne Lambert, Karen Robson, Jane Vallis, John Jarrett, Tony Llewelyn-Jones, Wyn Roberts, Jacki Weaver, Christie Schuler, Margaret Nelson, Ingrid Mason, Jenny Lovell, Janet Murray, Bridgitte Phillips, John Fegan, Gary Macdonald.

On a warm St. Valentine's Day in 1900 some schoolgirls from an exclusive boarding school in Victoria picnic at nearby Hanging Rock. The watches of both their driver and teacher inexplicably stop at 12 noon. Four girls venture forth on their own; one, Edith, falls asleep and wakes to find the other three have taken off their shoes and stockings and are climbing higher. Frightened and screaming, Edith returns to the main pack.

The party, long overdue, returns to the college, but minus three of the girls and Miss McGraw who, according to Edith, was last seen running after the three without her skirt. The police are called to make an unsuccessful search. A young Englishman, Michael, who picnicked near the girls with his aunt and uncle, also searches, accompanied by servant Albert. He spends the night alone by the rock and next day is found by Albert with a mysterious head wound and other superficial injuries, but no memory of happenings. Later, covering the same ground as Michael, Albert comes upon one of the girls, Irma, with a similar head wound and also no memory of events.

With the same director and producers of last year's highly acclaimed "The Cars That Ate Paris," backed by the South Australian Film Corporation, plus scripting by tv scripter Cliff Green, "Picnic" is certain to create attention. Visually it probably is one of the most beautiful pix ever seen, with numerous summery outdoor scenes, full of nature's greens, Aussie flora and fauna and wonderful blue skies, plus some stately interiors, all adding up to stunning pictorials. Everything has been carefully re-created with loving exactitude.

Thesping is generally of a high standard. As the headmistress Rachel Roberts (who subbed at the last moment for an ailing Vivien Merchant) shines when the script allows, which isn't too often. Helen Morse turns in a believable performance as the French Mistress, concerned over the girls' welfare and comforting them; John Jarrett is far better as the Aussie servant Albert than he was playing the lead in the recent "Great Macarthy" pic and Tony Llewelyn-Jones provides a standout cameo as a school gardener.