Review of The Lost Weekend (1945) by Chris W — 03 Jul 2011

By today's standards, this is pretty tame, a bit naive, and rather melodramatic (as opposed ot regular, serious, dramatic). Back in 1945 though, this was some really heavy, serious stuff. Besides just being a good film anyway, perhaps that's why I like it. It is by Billy Wilder, so that helps, especially since I'm kinda getting into him, especially as of late.

This film was a bit more melodramatic and fantastical than I was expecting, but that's probably more because it's definitely a product of it's time. It doesn't have quite the same bite as Leaving Las Vegas, but it is watchable gets its point across.

The performances are good. Milland does a great job, especially during the more serious moments of desperation and anxiety. I liked the music, though it was a tad over the top. I think they must have used a theremin, because it had a very eerie quality to it, much like the score from The Day the Earth Stood Still.

In many ways, this is a typical 1940s 'message movie', but it is well played, despite its now dated qualities. It's decent, but probably the least of WIlder's films I've seen thus far. You should still give it a watch though, just don't expect it to seem all that fresh or revolutionary.