The Lost Weekend
3.5/4
Starring: Ray Milland, Jane Wyman, Phillip Terry, Howard Da Silva, Doris Dowling, Frank Faylen
Not Rated
Few movies can be seen as "game changers." Movies that have fundamentally altered the way movies deal with a subject. "Saving Private Ryan" changed the way war films have been made (to be fair, there were other movies that looked at the dark side of war, but not even "Platoon" was as frank or brutal). "Brokeback Mountain" was the first mainstream movie to show a homosexual romance. And while it came out a half century before either, "The Lost Weekend" changed the way the world looked at addiction.
Before Billy Wilder made "The Lost Weekend," which was based on a novel by Charles R. Jackson (Wilder picked up while riding on the train, and by the time he reached Hollywood, he had decided to make this his next film), America was divided as to whether or not alcoholism was a disease or a weakness of character. But 8 years after its release, the AMA listed "alcoholism" as an illness.
Despite the passage of time, "The Lost Weekend" retains much of its capacity to shock. This is because the central character, Don Birnham, is a fully realized individual that we sympathize with despite the less than honorable things he does. He lies, he steals, and he treats his ever-devoted girlfriend Helen St. James (Wyman) like dirt. His brother Wick (Terry) is has been suffering from Don's behavior for years and has given up on the failed writer. As a last ditch attempt to get Don to clean up, they plan to take him to the country to clear his head. But he slithers out of it to drink uninhibited. But the time has come for him to face his addiction head on and decide once and for all who is going to get the better of Don Birnham: his sobriety or the booze.
Billy Wilder has always placed character development and acting over everything else. This can be seen in movies like "Sunset Blvd." and "The Apartment" as well. The flawless acting and strongly written characters allow this film to have a knockout punch (unlike "When a Man Loves a Woman," where they were lost in favor of the message). The film's showiest performance is Don, since the film is about him. Not lost, however, is Helen, who suffers almost as much (albeit in a different way).
Upon completion of the film, Billy Wilder predicted that Ray Milland would win an Oscar for his performance. Wilder's prediction was correct, and everyone who watches this movie will understand why. Milland, already a big star at the time, gives the performance of a lifetime. There is not a moment when he doesn't command our utmost attention. We can relate to him because we know what it is like to crave something we shouldn't (candy, fried food, whatever), and what it is like to be unable to catch a break. This is the way that Milland and Wilder choose to present Don, and it's a stroke of genius. You don't have to be an addict to relate to the character.
The supporting characters are just as strong, but of them, the only one who stands out is Jane Wyman (the former Mrs. Ronald Regan). Helen loves Don dearly, and is willing to stand by him through anything. Wyman uses everything at her disposal to make Helen seem real rather than a candidate for sainthood. What Don puts her through is beyond cruel, but she understands that it is not his fault. She also knows that only he can make the decision to quit drinking. Character actors Phillip Terry and Howard Da Silva provide adequate support, but neither is especially effective or memorable.
Watching the film in the context of its time (when addiction was poorly understood and highly controversial) will enhance the film's impact. Another aspect of its place in time is the fact that this was the first "pull no punches" movie to be released. To one degree or another, movies like this are common place. "Saving Private Ryan," "Requiem for a Dream," "The War Zone," there are plenty of different productions that don't sugarcoat anything from the audience. That's not how it was in 1945. The film also struck a chord due to the fact that many soldiers were returning home from the war and using alcohol to deal with their PTSD.
The film isn't perfect. When describing the aspects of addiction, the script can seem a little heavy-handed, particularly in the beginning (I'll let that slide due to the time in which it was released). The script contains some vivid and brilliant dialogue, but occasionally it gets a little too literate for its own good. The ending also doesn't satisfy completely; it's a little too open-ended and abrupt. Just as there are some flaws, there are some truly amazing scenes in the film, too. One such instance is when Don sees a way to pay for drinks he can't afford. And the scene in the sanitarium is genuinely disturbing.
While not necessarily as graphic as many other movies of its ilk, "The Lost Weekend" still has the power to compel.
Starring: Ray Milland, Jane Wyman, Phillip Terry, Howard Da Silva, Doris Dowling, Frank Faylen
Not Rated
Few movies can be seen as "game changers." Movies that have fundamentally altered the way movies deal with a subject. "Saving Private Ryan" changed the way war films have been made (to be fair, there were other movies that looked at the dark side of war, but not even "Platoon" was as frank or brutal). "Brokeback Mountain" was the first mainstream movie to show a homosexual romance. And while it came out a half century before either, "The Lost Weekend" changed the way the world looked at addiction.
Before Billy Wilder made "The Lost Weekend," which was based on a novel by Charles R. Jackson (Wilder picked up while riding on the train, and by the time he reached Hollywood, he had decided to make this his next film), America was divided as to whether or not alcoholism was a disease or a weakness of character. But 8 years after its release, the AMA listed "alcoholism" as an illness.
Despite the passage of time, "The Lost Weekend" retains much of its capacity to shock. This is because the central character, Don Birnham, is a fully realized individual that we sympathize with despite the less than honorable things he does. He lies, he steals, and he treats his ever-devoted girlfriend Helen St. James (Wyman) like dirt. His brother Wick (Terry) is has been suffering from Don's behavior for years and has given up on the failed writer. As a last ditch attempt to get Don to clean up, they plan to take him to the country to clear his head. But he slithers out of it to drink uninhibited. But the time has come for him to face his addiction head on and decide once and for all who is going to get the better of Don Birnham: his sobriety or the booze.
Billy Wilder has always placed character development and acting over everything else. This can be seen in movies like "Sunset Blvd." and "The Apartment" as well. The flawless acting and strongly written characters allow this film to have a knockout punch (unlike "When a Man Loves a Woman," where they were lost in favor of the message). The film's showiest performance is Don, since the film is about him. Not lost, however, is Helen, who suffers almost as much (albeit in a different way).
Upon completion of the film, Billy Wilder predicted that Ray Milland would win an Oscar for his performance. Wilder's prediction was correct, and everyone who watches this movie will understand why. Milland, already a big star at the time, gives the performance of a lifetime. There is not a moment when he doesn't command our utmost attention. We can relate to him because we know what it is like to crave something we shouldn't (candy, fried food, whatever), and what it is like to be unable to catch a break. This is the way that Milland and Wilder choose to present Don, and it's a stroke of genius. You don't have to be an addict to relate to the character.
The supporting characters are just as strong, but of them, the only one who stands out is Jane Wyman (the former Mrs. Ronald Regan). Helen loves Don dearly, and is willing to stand by him through anything. Wyman uses everything at her disposal to make Helen seem real rather than a candidate for sainthood. What Don puts her through is beyond cruel, but she understands that it is not his fault. She also knows that only he can make the decision to quit drinking. Character actors Phillip Terry and Howard Da Silva provide adequate support, but neither is especially effective or memorable.
Watching the film in the context of its time (when addiction was poorly understood and highly controversial) will enhance the film's impact. Another aspect of its place in time is the fact that this was the first "pull no punches" movie to be released. To one degree or another, movies like this are common place. "Saving Private Ryan," "Requiem for a Dream," "The War Zone," there are plenty of different productions that don't sugarcoat anything from the audience. That's not how it was in 1945. The film also struck a chord due to the fact that many soldiers were returning home from the war and using alcohol to deal with their PTSD.
The film isn't perfect. When describing the aspects of addiction, the script can seem a little heavy-handed, particularly in the beginning (I'll let that slide due to the time in which it was released). The script contains some vivid and brilliant dialogue, but occasionally it gets a little too literate for its own good. The ending also doesn't satisfy completely; it's a little too open-ended and abrupt. Just as there are some flaws, there are some truly amazing scenes in the film, too. One such instance is when Don sees a way to pay for drinks he can't afford. And the scene in the sanitarium is genuinely disturbing.
While not necessarily as graphic as many other movies of its ilk, "The Lost Weekend" still has the power to compel.
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