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Drama

The Lost Weekend

- The screen dares to open the strange and savage pages of a shocking bestseller!

Don Birnam, a long-time alcoholic, has been sober for ten days and appears to be over the worst... but his craving has just become more insidious. Evading a country weekend planned by his brother and girlfriend, he begins a four-day bender that just might be his last - one way or another.

Release Date : 1945-11-29

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Paramount Pictures

Production Country : United States of America

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Ray Milland

Character Name : Don Birnam

Original Name : Ray Milland

Gender : Male

Jane Wyman

Character Name : Helen St. James

Original Name : Jane Wyman

Gender : Female

Phillip Terry

Character Name : Wick Birnam

Original Name : Phillip Terry

Gender : Male

Howard Da Silva

Character Name : Nat the Bartender

Original Name : Howard Da Silva

Gender : Male

Doris Dowling

Character Name : Gloria

Original Name : Doris Dowling

Gender : Female

Frank Faylen

Character Name : 'Bim' Nolan

Original Name : Frank Faylen

Gender : Male

Mary Young

Character Name : Mrs. Deveridge

Original Name : Mary Young

Gender : Female

Anita Sharp-Bolster

Character Name : Mrs. Foley

Original Name : Anita Sharp-Bolster

Gender : Female

Lilian Fontaine

Character Name : Mrs. Charles St. James

Original Name : Lilian Fontaine

Gender : Female

Frank Orth

Character Name : Opera Cloak Room Attendant

Original Name : Frank Orth

Gender : Male

Lewis L. Russell

Character Name : Charles St. James

Original Name : Lewis L. Russell

Gender : Male

Andy Andrews

Character Name : Alcoholic (uncredited)

Original Name : Andy Andrews

Gender : Male

Walter Baldwin

Character Name : Man from Albany (uncredited)

Original Name : Walter Baldwin

Gender : Male

Harry Barris

Character Name : Pianist at Harry & Joe's (uncredited)

Original Name : Harry Barris

Gender : Male

Jess Lee Brooks

Character Name : (uncredited)

Original Name : Jess Lee Brooks

Gender : Male

Jack Rube Clifford

Character Name : Guard (uncredited)

Original Name : Jack Rube Clifford

Gender : Male

David Clyde

Character Name : Dave (uncredited)

Original Name : David Clyde

Gender : Male

James Conaty

Character Name : Man in Nightclub Washroom (uncredited)

Original Name : James Conaty

Gender : Male

Willa Pearl Curtis

Character Name : Mrs. Wertheim's Assistant (uncredited)

Original Name : Willa Pearl Curtis

Gender : Male

John Deauville

Character Name : Cloakroom Attendant (uncredited)

Original Name : John Deauville

Gender : Male

Helen Dickson

Character Name : Mrs. Frink (uncredited)

Original Name : Helen Dickson

Gender : Female

Franklyn Farnum

Character Name : Concert Attendee (uncredited)

Original Name : Franklyn Farnum

Gender : Male

Byron Foulger

Character Name : Shopkeeper (uncredited)

Original Name : Byron Foulger

Gender : Male

Jayne Hazard

Character Name : M. (uncredited)

Original Name : Jayne Hazard

Gender : Female

Ted Hecht

Character Name : Man with Bandaged Ear (uncredited)

Original Name : Ted Hecht

Gender : Male

Ernest Hilliard

Character Name : Headwaiter (uncredited)

Original Name : Ernest Hilliard

Gender : Male

Earle Hyman

Character Name : Smoking Man (uncredited)

Original Name : Earle Hyman

Gender : Male

Jerry James

Character Name : Male Nurse (uncredited)

Original Name : Jerry James

Gender : Male

Stan Johnson

Character Name : Nurse (uncredited)

Original Name : Stan Johnson

Gender : Male

Jack W. Johnston

Character Name : Nightclub Guest (uncredited)

Original Name : Jack W. Johnston

Gender : Male

Karl 'Karchy' Kosiczky

Character Name : Baby (uncredited)

Original Name : Karl 'Karchy' Kosiczky

Gender : Male

Eddie Laughton

Character Name : Mr. Brophy (uncredited)

Original Name : Eddie Laughton

Gender : Male

Perc Launders

Character Name : Doorman (uncredited)

Original Name : Perc Launders

Gender : Male

Bertram Marburgh

Character Name : Jewish Man (uncredited)

Original Name : Bertram Marburgh

Gender : Male

William Meader

Character Name : Hardware Man (uncredited)

Original Name : William Meader

Gender : Male

James Millican

Character Name : Nurse (uncredited)

Original Name : James Millican

Gender : Male

Frank Mills

Character Name : Drunk in Alcoholic Ward (uncredited)

Original Name : Frank Mills

Gender : Male

Pat Moriarity

Character Name : Irishman (uncredited)

Original Name : Pat Moriarity

Gender : Male

William Newell

Character Name : Liquor Store Proprietor (uncredited)

Original Name : William Newell

Gender : Male

William O'Leary

Character Name : Irishman (uncredited)

Original Name : William O'Leary

Gender : Male

Peter Potter

Character Name : Shaky and Sweaty Man (uncredited)

Original Name : Peter Potter

Gender : Male

Stanley Price

Character Name : Fruit Clerk (uncredited)

Original Name : Stanley Price

Gender : Male

Craig Reynolds

Character Name : George (uncredited)

Original Name : Craig Reynolds

Gender : Male

Lester Sharpe

Character Name : Jewish Man (uncredited)

Original Name : Lester Sharpe

Gender : Male

Lee Shumway

Character Name : Guard (uncredited)

Original Name : Lee Shumway

Gender : Male

Douglas Spencer

Character Name : Hospital Patient Seeing Imaginary Beetles (uncredited)

Original Name : Douglas Spencer

Gender : Male

Al Stewart

Character Name : Mattress Man (uncredited)

Original Name : Al Stewart

Gender : Male

Amzie Strickland

Character Name : Woman in Bar (uncredited)

Original Name : Amzie Strickland

Gender : Female

Harry Tenbrook

Character Name : Drunk in Alcoholic Ward (uncredited)

Original Name : Harry Tenbrook

Gender : Male

Fred 'Snowflake' Toones

Character Name : Washroom Attendant at Harry & Joe's (uncredited)

Original Name : Fred 'Snowflake' Toones

Gender : Male

Emmett Vogan

Character Name : Doctor (uncredited)

Original Name : Emmett Vogan

Gender : Male

Max Wagner

Character Name : Mike (uncredited)

Original Name : Max Wagner

Gender : Male

Milton Wallace

Character Name : Pawnbroker with Helen's Coat (uncredited)

Original Name : Milton Wallace

Gender : Male

Gisela Werbisek

Character Name : Mrs. Wertheim (uncredited)

Original Name : Gisela Werbisek

Gender : Female

Crane Whitley

Character Name : Waiter at Harry & Joe's Bar (uncredited)

Original Name : Crane Whitley

Gender : Male

Ernest Whitman

Character Name : Black Man Talking to Himself (uncredited)

Original Name : Ernest Whitman

Gender : Male

Harry Wilson

Character Name : Drunk (uncredited)

Original Name : Harry Wilson

Gender : Male

Isabel Withers

Character Name : Woman Before Pawn Shop (uncredited)

Original Name : Isabel Withers

Gender : Female

Audrey Young

Character Name : Cloak Room Attendant (uncredited)

Original Name : Audrey Young

Gender : Female

Dick Gordon

Character Name : Hotel Desk Clerk (uncredited)

Original Name : Dick Gordon

Gender : Male

Reviews

J

John Chard

@John Chard

2024-05-16

Delirium is a disease that only comes at night. Don Birnham is not a drinker, he is in fact a drunk, he is left alone for the weekend by those who love him under the proviso that he gets stuck into his writing, thus the hope is that he stays away from the booze that is killing his life and the loving foundation that his life is built upon. Billy Wilder directs this with brilliant hands, he pulls his first masterstroke by casting Ray Milland in the lead role of Don Birnham, at the time Milland was better known for light and airy roles, so for audiences of the time it was quite something to see someone so normally affable descend into a real dark shadow of their perceived persona. It was a formula that "Blake Edwards" would repeat some 17 years later with "Days Of Wine And Roses", there, comedy great "Jack Lemmon" would wow the viewers with his own descent into alcoholic hell. It's no different here in 1945, Milland (and Wilder) drag us into an airy, almost jaunty first reel, and the foundation is set here for us to firmly stand by Don as he spirals through a series of nightmares that is acted with genuine skill by the leading man. The journey has us rapidly trying to hock a typewriter - if only we could just find a pawnbrokers open. We will beg in touchingly heart breaking fashion for a drink from the trusted barkeep, we will find ourselves in a dry out ward where the night terrors take over, we will be terrified by the delirium as sobriety threatens to unhinge this vile addiction... We will be part of this film because of the simple magnetic qualities that draws you in. It's not just Milland's realistic show, Wilder the crafty sod uses deep focus to emphasise anything that will steer us to the demon drink, be it escalating water rings as each shot of Rye is consumed, or camera shots through the bottles themselves, Wilder doesn't let up with knowing reminders of the core subject. The score is just terrific, Miklos Roza scores it to perfection because the music leads you into a swirling nightmare as Don's functional mind gives way to the haven of numbness, in short, the tech work on the film is tops. The back story to this now revered masterpiece is somewhat hilarious, Paramount didn't want to release the film after temperance groups protested that the film championed drinking (LOL). One strong arm group even offered 5 Million Dollars to have the film's negative destroyed, Wilder stood by his guns and thankfully the movie watching world still has a dark and poignant classic to view with resonance in any decade. 10/10

N

Nutshell

@nutshell

2021-06-23

One of Billy Wilder's best films, and certainly Ray Milland's best performance as he's cast against type playing a failed alcoholic author. Milland perfectly captures the despondent, manipulative and even criminal behavior of the lead character. More than 70 years after its release this film still packs a huge punch.

J

JPV852

@JPV852

2021-06-23

This Best Picture winner (also won for director, actor and screenplay) was decently acted, albeit a bit too theatrical (stage type) for my taste but still well made movie with what I assume is a realistic take on alcoholism (never drank myself) from director Billy Wilder. It is a bit optimistic in the end but still an engaging enough drama. **3.75/5**

C

CinemaSerf

@Geronimo1967

2022-07-01

A truly evocative tour de force from Ray Milland in this semi-autobiographical tale of four days in the life of writer Charles R. Jackson - characterised here as "Don Birnam" - whose life as a writer is frequently wrecked by his chronic alcoholism. Just when he might be on the wagon, however, his addiction becomes even more acute and he diverts $10 meant for their cleaner and goes on a massive bender reaching the depths of despair that reduce this potentially sensible, responsible adult to little more than a pathetic, begging and pleading shadow of a man craving his next shot. Milland well deserved his Oscar with some strong, though infrequent support from his brother Phillip Terry and his girlfriend Jane Wyman who are desperately trying to keep him from the path of self-destruction. Billy Wider provides us with an invasive study of the intimate struggle of a man out of control - the scenes where he is looking for an open pawnbrokers on Yom Kippur convey just how hard he has hit rock bottom superbly and effectively - and Miklós Rósza provides a magnificently bleak score to further embellish the mood. A cracking film.