***** SPOILER IN FIFTH PARAGRAPH ***** It's hard to imagine what people must have thought upon seeing this movie in 1945, depictions of alcoholism are so prevalent in our media today that it's practically a brand name. We have serious drunks, comical drunks, pathetic drunks, and all manner of drunks in-between. In many ways we may have progressed but I'm not sure I've ever seen a movie that treats alcoholism with the honesty it gets here.
But The Lost Weekend isn't just a message movie, it's superbly crafted as well, easily the equal of Billy Wilder's other films (Double Indemnity, Sunset Blvd., Stalag 17, Sabrina, etc.). According to the production notes Wilder read the novel by Charles R. Jackson and took it upon himself to convince his producers to let him make the film, knowing it would be a hit and win the leading man an Oscar. That's vision coupled with uncanny film-making skill.
Ray Milland never gave a finer performance, the progression of his character throughout the movie is extraordinary and a lesser actor simply wouldn't have been able to pull it off. I doubt he was Hollywood's first alcoholic would-be writer, but he certainly raised the bar for the many who'd follow in his footsteps. He never once resorts to stereotypical "drunk" stock-character. His eye movements and high-flown, self-delusional, speeches alone make the film worth watching.
While this film is imminently deserving of the four major Oscars it scooped up (Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay, and Best Actor) it didn't win for Best Cinematography, which is a shame. John F. Seitz's black-and-white cinematography is a visual feast. Seitz was nominated for the Oscar seven times between 1930 and 1955 (including four Wilder pictures) but regrettably never won. In all he was the principal cinematographer for 159 films, including such other classics such as: Sullivan's Travels, This Gun for Hire, The Miracle of Morgan's Creek, The Big Clock, Night Has A Thousand Eyes, and When Worlds Collide.
***** DANGER! SPOILER AHEAD! ***** I'm not nearly so optimistic about Don's recovery as most other reviewers seem to be. Overtly the the Hollywood ending is all there; Don drops a cigarette into a glass of whiskey, he and Helen have the big kiss, he sits down to finally crank out his big book. Call it pessimism but I think it's all tied up so neatly that it can't help but unravel for him five minutes after the cameras leave. I see plenty of potential for more weekends just like this one, and I think that's the way Wilder wanted it.
But The Lost Weekend isn't just a message movie, it's superbly crafted as well, easily the equal of Billy Wilder's other films (Double Indemnity, Sunset Blvd., Stalag 17, Sabrina, etc.). According to the production notes Wilder read the novel by Charles R. Jackson and took it upon himself to convince his producers to let him make the film, knowing it would be a hit and win the leading man an Oscar. That's vision coupled with uncanny film-making skill.
Ray Milland never gave a finer performance, the progression of his character throughout the movie is extraordinary and a lesser actor simply wouldn't have been able to pull it off. I doubt he was Hollywood's first alcoholic would-be writer, but he certainly raised the bar for the many who'd follow in his footsteps. He never once resorts to stereotypical "drunk" stock-character. His eye movements and high-flown, self-delusional, speeches alone make the film worth watching.
While this film is imminently deserving of the four major Oscars it scooped up (Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay, and Best Actor) it didn't win for Best Cinematography, which is a shame. John F. Seitz's black-and-white cinematography is a visual feast. Seitz was nominated for the Oscar seven times between 1930 and 1955 (including four Wilder pictures) but regrettably never won. In all he was the principal cinematographer for 159 films, including such other classics such as: Sullivan's Travels, This Gun for Hire, The Miracle of Morgan's Creek, The Big Clock, Night Has A Thousand Eyes, and When Worlds Collide.
***** DANGER! SPOILER AHEAD! ***** I'm not nearly so optimistic about Don's recovery as most other reviewers seem to be. Overtly the the Hollywood ending is all there; Don drops a cigarette into a glass of whiskey, he and Helen have the big kiss, he sits down to finally crank out his big book. Call it pessimism but I think it's all tied up so neatly that it can't help but unravel for him five minutes after the cameras leave. I see plenty of potential for more weekends just like this one, and I think that's the way Wilder wanted it.