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picnic

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The author, Miles Mathis, revisits the film Picnic at Hanging Rock on Valentine’s Day of 2021. He notes his purchase of a British release and his preference for the original version over a director’s cut, citing a negative experience with the director’s cut of Amadeus. Mathis confesses his primary reason for watching was the allure of Anne Lambert, who played Miranda in the film. He praises her performance, arguing that she is the reason the film was a success, despite Lambert attributing it to promotion. Mathis describes Lambert’s early scenes as glorious and captivating, particularly one where she sings in front of a mirror. He reveals that director Peter Weir initially fired Lambert but quickly realized his error and rehired her. The author suggests that despite the film’s success in putting Australian cinema on the international map, Lambert was not pursued by Hollywood.

Mathis posits that the film’s arthouse success stems from Lambert and the other actresses in white frocks, allowing Weir and his cameramen to achieve what David Hamilton failed to do: immerse the viewer without making them feel like voyeurs. He contrasts Picnic at Hanging Rock with Hamilton’s work, like Bilitis, which lacked story and realism, while Picnic at Hanging Rock benefited from a book that provided plot, dialogue, and historical and religious references, giving the visuals narrative weight.

The author then delves into a detailed personal interpretation of the film’s mystery, proposing that the characters Sara and Bertie (Michael’s servant) were responsible for the disappearances and deaths. He identifies Sara as the malevolent force, driven by her mistreatment as an orphan and a potential unrequited love for Miranda. Mathis suggests Bertie, as a local, knew the terrain of Hanging Rock and assisted in disposing of the bodies, perhaps using acid to create a red cloud, as seen by Edith. He argues that Bertie’s nonchalance about the search and his knowledge of the area point to his involvement.

Mathis further elaborates on his theory by connecting Sara to the author of the book, Joan Lindsay. He points to Sara’s unique clothing and her role as a poet as mirroring Lindsay’s own artistic inclinations and potential past experiences. He analyzes various details from the book, including Lindsay’s possible lesbianism, her family connections to Dukes and Earls, and her autobiographical elements within the narrative. He suggests Lindsay reversed roles, portraying the orphan Sara as the villain and implying the wealthy Miranda was the victim, using the book as a veiled confession.

The author then analyzes specific passages from the book, highlighting clues about Bertie’s knowledge of Hanging Rock, his past as a boxer and convict, and the potential for him to have traveled quickly to and from the school. He also notes Irma’s wealthy Rothschild lineage as a reason for her survival. Mathis highlights quotes from the book that he believes directly confirm Sara as a representation of Joan Lindsay, citing her artistic talent and a poem written by Lindsay that mirrors Sara’s actions. He also speculates on the significance of Sara’s rooming with Miranda and Bertie’s reluctance to encounter Irma after her recovery. The purple coloring of Sara’s head in the film is interpreted as a clue to Lindsay’s noble Lindsay family background.

Mathis criticizes the book’s narrative structure, calling it disjointed and a “burning confessional.” He also questions the sincerity of those who praised the book’s cinematic qualities. He speculates about Anne Lambert’s potential familial connections to the Lindsay and Hamilton families. The author mentions the mysterious disappearance of Margaret Nelson and the unusual death of the actress who played Miss Appleyard, Rochelle Roberts, by lye poisoning.

Finally, Mathis examines the film’s famous line, “Everything begins and ends at exactly the right time and place,” arguing that while it may offer solace, it ultimately serves to absolve the murderer by suggesting fate. He contrasts this with his belief in free will and personal responsibility. He also discusses Lindsay’s deleted final chapter, which proposed dimensional transport for the girls, and reflects on Lindsay’s likely desire to escape an inescapable truth from her past, possibly a dreadful event on Hanging Rock. He concludes by suggesting that Lindsay’s guilt led her to create the book as an oblique confession.

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