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The Lost Weekend

Name: The Lost Weekend
Genre: Drama
Released: 1945-11-29
Duration: 101 min
Rating: 7.615

★ 7,6 /10 (678 Votes)

1945 EN 101 min

Overview

Longtime alcoholic Don Birnam 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.

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Release date

29/11/1945

Votes

678

Popularity

2.0

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

Genres

Drama

Status

Released

Language

Runtime

101 min

Budget

$1,250,000

Revenue

$11,000,000

Ray Milland

Don Birnam

Jane Wyman

Helen St. James

Phillip Terry

Wick Birnam

Howard Da Silva

Nat the Bartender

Doris Dowling

Gloria

Frank Faylen

'Bim' Nolan

Mary Young

Mrs. Deveridge

Anita Sharp-Bolster

Mrs. Foley

Lilian Fontaine

Mrs. Charles St. James

Frank Orth

Opera Cloak Room Attendant

Lewis L. Russell

Charles St. James

No photo

Andy Andrews

Alcoholic (uncredited)

Walter Baldwin

Man from Albany (uncredited)

Harry Barris

Pianist at Harry & Joe's (uncredited)

No photo

Jess Lee Brooks

(uncredited)

Jack Rube Clifford

Guard (uncredited)

David Clyde

Dave (uncredited)

No photo

James Conaty

Man in Nightclub Washroom (uncredited)

Willa Pearl Curtis

Mrs. Wertheim's Assistant (uncredited)

John Deauville

Cloakroom Attendant (uncredited)

No photo

Helen Dickson

Mrs. Frink (uncredited)

Franklyn Farnum

Concert Attendee (uncredited)

Byron Foulger

Shopkeeper (uncredited)

Jayne Hazard

M. (uncredited)

Ted Hecht

Man with Bandaged Ear (uncredited)

Ernest Hilliard

Headwaiter (uncredited)

Earle Hyman

Smoking Man (uncredited)

No photo

Jerry James

Male Nurse (uncredited)

No photo

Stan Johnson

Nurse (uncredited)

Jack W. Johnston

Nightclub Guest (uncredited)

Karl 'Karchy' Kosiczky

Baby (uncredited)

Eddie Laughton

Mr. Brophy (uncredited)

No photo

Perc Launders

Doorman (uncredited)

Bertram Marburgh

Jewish Man (uncredited)

No photo

William Meader

Hardware Man (uncredited)

James Millican

Nurse (uncredited)

Frank Mills

Drunk in Alcoholic Ward (uncredited)

No photo

Pat Moriarity

Irishman (uncredited)

William Newell

Liquor Store Proprietor (uncredited)

No photo

William O'Leary

Irishman (uncredited)

No photo

Peter Potter

Shaky and Sweaty Man (uncredited)

Stanley Price

Fruit Clerk (uncredited)

Craig Reynolds

George (uncredited)

Lester Sharpe

Jewish Man (uncredited)

Lee Shumway

Guard (uncredited)

Douglas Spencer

Hospital Patient Seeing Imaginary Beetles (uncredited)

No photo

Al Stewart

Mattress Man (uncredited)

Amzie Strickland

Woman in Bar (uncredited)

Harry Tenbrook

Drunk in Alcoholic Ward (uncredited)

Fred 'Snowflake' Toones

Washroom Attendant at Harry & Joe's (uncredited)

Emmett Vogan

Doctor (uncredited)

Max Wagner

Mike (uncredited)

No photo

Milton Wallace

Pawnbroker with Helen's Coat (uncredited)

No photo

Gisela Werbisek

Mrs. Wertheim (uncredited)

Crane Whitley

Waiter at Harry & Joe's Bar (uncredited)

Ernest Whitman

Black Man Talking to Himself (uncredited)

Harry Wilson

Drunk (uncredited)

No photo

Isabel Withers

Woman Before Pawn Shop (uncredited)

Audrey Young

Cloak Room Attendant (uncredited)

No photo

Dick Gordon

Hotel Desk Clerk (uncredited)

Original Soundtrack

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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 t…

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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.

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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**

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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 des…

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