The year 1945 brought an end to World War II. During this year the Oscar winning film “The Lost Weekend” was released. Unlike the last several films, this movie didn’t have anything that really displayed what I currently perceive as the social consciousness of America at the time. The war was coming to an end so people were happy, America was about to experience a baby boom and the depression was over. However, between this movie and the movie released the following year, I am beginning to wonder if alcoholism was already a problem for America during the 1940’s.
“The Lost Weekend” focuses on writer Don Birnam and his troubles with alcohol, particularly over the course of one weekend. The movie follows Don as he goes through several different levels of being an alcoholic. He hides liquor, steals money, gets thrown out of bars, hospitalized, institutionalized, experiences hallucinations and even contemplates suicide. Fortunately, the love of a woman is able to turn his life around and the story has a happy ending. The plot is predictable by today’s standards but it really manages to display the disease of alcohol effectively. It could go head to head with the more modern examinations of drinking that are part of the films of today. Even the ending isn’t overly sappy and really gives the character closure without making him completely forget the journey that he has been on.
From an acting standpoint the film relies almost entirely on Ray Milland. As the main character it is his job to make the audience believe in the experiences that Don is going through. He does a marvelous job portraying the fall that Don goes through in the movie. The differences that are invoked over each step of the process are subtle yet very effective. Jane Wyman does a decent job opposite him, but isn’t given to much to work with. Billy Wilder hits the mark from a direction standpoint, it is a good solid effort nothing to remarkable but the audience can tell that he knows his craft.
Overall the movie is good, nothing to special since the modern movie watcher has seen this story told time and time again, but this was still a good movie. It gets 3.5 out of 5 stars.
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