The Lost Weekend

Tour de force by Ray Milland whose career seemed to apex here. Can't believe I was watching the same actor who wound up doing JD and Corman quickies in the early 60's and nadiring with the embarrassing THING WITH TWO HEADS [1972]. Milland plays Don Birnum, a handsome, eloquent but underachieving writer who escapes his fears and inadequacies by reaching for the bottle. He is supported economically and emotionally by his brother Wick, played by Philip Terry. Terry, married to actress Joan Crawford at the time and resembling a Clark Gable sibling, is superb as the caring brother who ultimately succumbs to the futility of his task. Terry was another talented actor who wound up doing 60's B to Z tripe [still very good in the otherwise terrible, THE LEECH WOMAN, 1960]. Jane Wyman, resplendent and never more lovely, plays Birnum's "girl", Helen St. James, the lady friend who will never give up trying to save her man who is spiraling into oblivion. Her resolution is admirable but almost childlike and even foolhardy as she persists despite Birnum's repeated setbacks and narcissism.There were some memorable characterizations in this one: 1- Nat, the bartender, played by the always charismatic and terrific character actor Howard Da Silva---piericing eyes, flared nostrils, sharp tongued, and all. He is Birnum's oasis---his father confessor, his enabler. Great repartee between the two. You just have to love his rebuke of Birnum for conning Gloria the barfly, accepting a date he will never be sober for, and for having such a refined young woman as Helen constantly worried and looking for him, not knowing where he is or if he is well; 2- Gloria, played by Doris Dowling, whose stop-the-presses appearance---smoothly striding behind Birnum and stroking the back of his hairline then pointing and "clicking" a gun she feigns---is as sharp and sensual as anything Lauren Bacall did in TO HAVE AND HAVE NOT [1944] and leaves all noir femmes in the dust; 3- Birnum's elderly landlady who knows everything about her alcoholic neighbor by studying his movements, counting the number of milk bottles left at his doorstep, and listening to the sounds behind his locked door. The old lady is a doozy; 4- Bim, played by vet Frank Faylen, the male nurse at the hospital alcoholic ward where Birnum ends up. He knows everything about the furtive and recalcitrant ways, and the guises and horrors of, the alcoholic. His blunted affect and detached manner are disturbing. There were also some delightfully endearing moments such as Helen sporadically asking the taller Don to "bend down" [for his kiss] and repositioning his cigarette end correctly into his mouth. Throughout the play, though, Helen was certain that Don's need for the bottle was greater than his love for her.As Birnum's funds run out and his memory becomes more impaired he resorts to lying, stealing and just plain taking. This leads to humiliation, degradation, and like the "vicious" circles of his shotglass stains on the bar, to a greater need for escape and self-medication via the bottle. He ends up in an alcoholic ward but, repelled by the loony's around him, manages to escape. He returns home only to experience hallucinations and to rock-bottom and plan his suicide. He procures a gun at a pawn shop but Helen finds out and confronts him. Helen won't let up trying to deter the slippery, double-talking Birnum from carrying out his impulsive final act. It looks like she's going to fail until a knock at the door. It's guardian angel Nat returning Don's misplaced typewriter and wishing him well with a reattempt at writing and with "lilacs from Illinois"---the latter a reference to an earlier conversation between the two in which Birnum was trying to describe his love for Helen whom he had just met and for whom he had abstained for six weeks. Nat's appearance just a tap on the shoulder that outsiders with no clear bonds to him cared, and that they wished him love and success. Even Gloria, whom he had stood up, came through for him at the worst of times.Disappointing, uninspired ending was only shortcoming. While Nat may have been Don's guardian angel, Helen was the hero in this film. Waiting and waiting at the end for the self-involved big lug to finally verbally and affectionately reciprocate Helen's singular and unwavering love, loyalty and dedication and to reward her with the sincere, implicit commitment she has fought for. Not even a thank you? Instead we have an impersonal news-reporter-like ending with Milland talking about the plights of others in NYC who have a problem with the bottle, like himself. Director Wilder probably believed that, in the throes of alcoholic ambivalence/withdrawal/cold-turkeying, reciprocation was not emotionally feasible at that time, but, I would have preferred the Hollywood ending with the adorable and admirable Helen getting her due. Just irked me that twice Helen extended her arms out to Don supplicating for his commitment only to be ignored. Felt like smashing a bottle of spirits over his head. In addition, after all the nightmares, Don's sudden cessation of imbibition was not credible. There's a great deal of work yet to be done, and Don is going to need Helen now more then ever. Otherwise, a superb production, pefectly cast, a memorable screenplay, outstanding performances by all involved. Going to Nat's next Saturday night---but won't be leaving any circles on the bar.

I found this a bit different than other Billy Wilder stuff I've seen so far. There was little humor to be found, and the heightened style was more specifically in service of depicting the delirium of alcoholism than setting a mood/tone for the entire film, although there was some crossover there with the noir genre. Ray Milland gives an excellent performance, as do the rest of the cast. There was also a hard-won uplifting ending. But what I was most attracted to were trivial things, e.g., Jane Wyman flipping Ray Milland's cigarette around when he put it in his mouth the wrong way. And Doris Dowling, who I could have used more of, making up slang by cutting off the ends of words. I should also mention Miklos Rosza's score, which was the first one to use the theremin. This isn't a film I'll probably watch too often, but it will certainly be worth returning to if I'm in the mood, natch.

This movie is gold. It tells you EXACTLY what an addict goes through in digging through his room or rooms looking for some lost hidden secret or long forgotten stash. When you drink to that extent you black out and forget where you hid the stuff, so... you HAVE to go looking and digging around. This movie does that justice to an incredible level. If you're an alcoholic, or even a tobacco addict (I am both)... you HAVE to see this film.See, I've dug around my room many, many times looking for lost bottles or lost tins of snuff. It's AWFUL when you get down to zero and find yourself searching frantically for the stuff... even on the whim that it's not even there, you search anyway hoping that it's been there all along since before the blackout.Shoot, maybe Alcoholics Anonymous should make this their "poster child" of all movies. Yeah, it's rough. You try to quit and it's ROUGH. You know why? Because you KNOW what you're missing in life and that knowing makes it all the worse. What's even worse when you're trying to quit? Seeing someone else doing it. That just nails it on the head.Oh yeah, this movie is GENIUS! Tells it how it is in a way that you never probably ever saw before. Yeah, you see guys in old movies taking shots of whisky or whatever and, meh, it's like nothing. You don't even think twice about the guy in some western taking a shot at the bar BUT... to see an ADDICT taking that same shot... boy, this movie takes it up a notch and really, really, REALLY shows you what it's really like.Five stars forever on this one for sure. (Unless they up the star ratings higher, in which case automatically up to the most stars available).

As a recovered alcoholic, I like to watch this movie a few times a year. Ray Milland's portrayal was dead - he captured the obsessiveness, the scheming and planning, the lies, the DTs, the many trucks we perform to hide our drinking, and how many people you carelessly hurt in the search for your next drink. Not sugarcoated at all.

It's hard to believe that Ray Miland doubted that he could play this role. His wife had to talk him into doing it. Well, thanks, Mrs. Miland! Your husband was superb!I have not seen this movie in over 20 years and had forgotten the impact it had on me. Something told me to watch it again. Wow. Ray Milland reminds me why he walked away with the 1945 Best Actor Oscar. He was good in this movie. REAL good. (Post script) for those who think this movie's approach to alcoholism is 'outdated' let me tell you, you are WRONG. This movie nails it. An addict is an addict no matter what decade or century he/she lives in. True, we have intellectualized addiction today. And there are many treatment centers. But an addict is still an addict. That has nothing to do with 'time' or technology advancement. Even now in the 21st century, there is no known cure for alcoholism. it is the only disease that damages a person completely. Body, mind and soul.

This is a movie I loved as a youngster although it is by no means a kids movie being about a man trying to come off the drink and failing.Hence the lost weekend of the title.Ray Milland is somewhat forgotten these days but he was never better than here and was rewarded with an Oscar.There is a terrifying sequence where he is suffering the DTs.May give you nightmares.

Fantastic classic film. Cheered my Nan and Dad up for a while. Worth every penny

GREAT MOVIE.

Why can't they make great films like this anymore?Ray Milland won Oscar for Best Actor, and about midway through the film it is obvious why. This film deals with universal and enduring themes: alcoholism, ego, narcissism, how to (and how not to) deal with failure.Directed and the screenplay was co-written by the excellent Billy Wilder.I have given up on most modern films (post 1995) ever since the movie industry started focusing on superheroes, serial killers, sci-fi alien battles. There are very few movies that are based on strong plots and characterisation, dealing with real human issues. Made in 1945, The Lost Weekend is still very relevant today and is a testament to what riveting film-making is all about.

Poor DVD quality ( the disc, not the movie). Sound distorted beyond anything usable. DVD was also labeled in Spanish, not English