The Public Baths Scene

The most bizarre, and ludicrously gratuitous scene in "Daisy Miller" was the
one in which Frederick Winterbourne (Barry Brown) and his aunt, Mrs. Costello
(Mildred Natwick) were taking tea.

However, aunt and nephew were up to their chests in water in the public baths
there at the resort in Vevey, Switzerland, with the silver tea service floating
on the surface of the water on some sort of buoyant tray. (Balsawood?)

Winterbourne may have had on a two-piece bathing outfit (for modesty's sake;
after all, it was the 1880's), but his aunt was fully dressed in a black silk dress with a bustle!

I understand that this ridiculous scene was written into the movie because Mildred Natwick (or her character, or both) was considered too "stuffy", and they wanted
to "loosen it up" a bit by having her do the scene in that fashion.

Frankly, it added nothing to the movie, and will forevermore confuse any viewers
who haven't any idea of the rationale for this peculiar vignette.