Cheap The Lost Weekend (DVD) (Ray Milland, Jane Wyman) (Billy Wilder) Price

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Customer Reviews of The Lost Weekend

The film began with Don pretend to pack his luggage with a bottle tied to a string hanging outside his window.Don's life and fate changed. Don Birnam has writer's block, he is also a alcoholic. He is aware but unable to kick it.He even trade his typewriter for drinks. He been through a lot in a few days and forced to face up to his problem. Luckily he has love and support from his brother and girlfriend.

Ray Milland gave a splendid performance which totally deserved his oscar.He showed Don's fear, depression and all his emotions so vividly. His role is pathetic and psychologically realistic.

This film has a superb script with detailed description of nightmares images and visions. Breakthrough during that era. One of the memorable scene is when Don went to a musical play with actors drinking and he see 'Bottles dancing' instead.

Although this film is black and white I find it amazingly well made and many contemporary movies couldn't hold a candle.

I'm always fascinated by old classic film from 1940 to 1970. Although I belong to new generation I love the feeling and sincerity of old movies.

I find this film psychoanalytic,truthful,compelling and a vintage classic! One of the best film ever made.

A powerful movie about alcoholism
Don Birnam, an want-to-be writer with writer's block, is ecstatic when his brother Wick finally leaves their apartment for a long weekend in the country. Free of the constant watching, he is incredibly happy and feels even better after the second drink. Throughout the five days, Don drinks, makes and forgets promises, discovers a brilliant idea for writing and forgets it just as quickly, loses track of time. His mind takes him on a guilt-ridden trip through past experiences and hallucinations. He even awakens after a spill down the stairs to find himself in the alcoholic wing of a sanitarium.

Billy Wilder's film adaptation of the novel by Charles Jackson does a fine job of detailing what happens to someone in the grips of alcoholism: the desparate need, the hallucinations, the blackouts, etc. Ray Milland delivers one of the finest screen performances as Don, giving the impression that you are living every moment with Don, suffering his hallucinations and withdrawal, and thirsting for alcohol. This performance also earned him the Best Actor Academy Award. Jane Wyman is wonderful as Don's girlfriend Helen, who wants to see him through this terrible ordeal. Phillip Terry also gives a strong performance as Don's brother Wick, who wants to help Don by being the strong one, but always caves in, feeding Don's dependency.

For anyone who has read the book, certain aspects from the story have been removed and altered, but this in no way detracts from this portrait of a man in the throes of alcoholism. It's still a very potent and powerful film dealing with an almost taboo subject at the time. Highly recommended.

Still effective after all these years.
Superb mellow drama about a drunk, Don Birman, played by Ray Milland, & his battle with the bottle over one week-end in New York City. Nobody is a drunk anymore. They are said to have a "substance abuse " problem.
There is little stigma attached to the problem today as compared to the self-loathing Milland felt & the repugnance the neighborhood & even his favorite bartender felt towards him. In fact, the long, fairly one-sided conversations with Nat the bartender, played by Howard de Silva, are some of the best scenes in the movie.
Brakett & Wilder took some chances in this ground-breaking movie. They fought the Hollywood studios who probably wanted it watered down & rendered more palatable. They didn't give in &, as a result, this was the best movie of the the year 1945. It was well deserved. Ray Milland also got an Oscar & he was never better. Jane Wyman does a fine job as his long suffering girl friend, Helen.
It is unbelievable that that kind of woman, a real lady, would put up with a loser like that for so long. But after all, this is a movie. A pat ending that doesn't matter at all. The combination of gritty, street level scenes of New York City, the noir atmosphere & black & white filming all combine to make this one of the best aging movies, still relavent, I've seen in a long time.