The Lost Weekend (1945)
Genre: Drama / Filmnoir
Duration: 101 minuten
Country:
United States
Directed by: Billy Wilder
Stars: Ray Milland, Jane Wyman and Phillip Terry
IMDb score:
7,9 (43.294)
Releasedate: 29 November 1945
The Lost Weekend plot
"The screen dares to open the strange and savage pages of a shocking bestseller!"
The unsuccessful writer Don Birnam, who is addicted to alcohol, manages to stay sober for ten days at the hands of his brother Wick and his girlfriend Helen. But the night before he and Wick were due to go on a four-day vacation so Don can get back to writing seriously, he angrily sends Helen and Wick out of his house. Then Don is alone at home without money and without alcohol. And that urge for alcohol is getting bigger and bigger.
Actors and actresses
Don Birnam
Helen St. James
Wick Birnam
Nat the Bartender
Gloria
'Bim' Nolan
Mrs. Deveridge
Mrs. Foley
Mrs. Charles St. James
Opera Cloak Room Attendant
Reviews & comments
Mescaline
-
- 7116 messages
- 3388 votes
It was about time for a revision and this time too I was very impressed by this little masterpiece! 
In any case, it is without a doubt one of the very best (if not the best) of the 1940s, even today still good to watch and a film that still leaves a strong impression.
The storytelling pace of the film is also just right, not too slow but also never too fast or rushed, Mr. Billy Wilder clearly knows better than anyone how to direct a film and The Lost Weekend is 1 of many examples of this.
This gem remains high on my classic list, hopefully Hollywood will stay away from this and leave a remake out of their mind!
4,5 stay where they are! 
Translated from Dutch · View original
baspls
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- 4118 messages
- 1673 votes
Saw this Billy Wilder classic on the big screen last night.
Don Birnam, an unsuccessful writer has a severe alcohol addiction. His brother has decided to take him to the countryside for a long weekend. Birnam, however, leaves to get a new bottle and leaves his brother and girlfriend behind. We follow Birnam through a weekend in which his addiction begins to take root.
Wilder manages to depict alcohol addiction by means of a number of inventive cinematographic tricks. Cinematographically, everything is fine with the film and the acting of Ray Milland is also not much to criticize.
Still, I liked The Lost Weekend a lot less than Double Indemnity. That other Film Noir is very exciting and manages to surprise very much, where in my opinion it is very often repeated with alcoholism. The repetitive search for alcohol and long pedantic dialogues eventually become a bit tiring.
Nice to see, but I expected more.
Translated from Dutch · View original
scorsese
-
- 13430 messages
- 11265 votes
Beautiful film about a writer who would go away for the weekend, but would rather stay home to drink. A pretty compelling film about a few days in the life of an alcoholic. A fascinating main character who, against his own will and thanks, is a slave to his addiction/illness. Ray Milland puts this role down strongly and you can see how his character goes under. Definitely one of the best movies about alcoholism.
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