Review of The Lost Weekend (1945) by Tarif H — 24 May 2015

'The Lost Weekend' is an excellent film that still holds up perfectly well and features a perfect performance from Ray Milland. I really do not feel that this film is dated at all and especially not in any way that someone might expect a film from that time period to deal with this topic. There is no over the top theatrics or silly stereotypes, this film is harsh, gritty and realistic- it did win Best Picture for a reason. The only way that this film showed any signs of being dated, to me, is when the lady on the street says to the other person that, 'it's that man that likes to drink' and the overly rude landlady that just kept going on saying rude things even when Helen repeatedly told her that, that was enough. I did expect to see a scene where he was walking in the street and bumped into someone that resulted in a bottle falling on the floor but that didn't happen.

The story is excellent and within a few minutes we have already learned quite a number of things about our characters, I liked the use of flashbacks not only to showcase his proposed story but his actual life story at the same time. I thought it was odd at the start when the brother says that because of what he has been through that writing wouldn't be the best idea but that is explained later on with what I just said about the flashbacks. I found his character very sympathetic and I was very involved and engaged in this film, so much so that I gasped at a number of moments, like when the person that had the purse left, or when Wick goes to move his cigarette off of the windowsill, or any number of things that happened when he was drunk.

Milland's acting is very gripping and I really felt it, the way he emotes and just jumps right in to his character is perfect and needed for a film like this. The film showcased his acting in a way that I wish would have been utilised more during his career, he could hardly ever have been called bad but in this film he just excels. The scene with the animals in his apartment is still very effective and how he reacts in that scene was hard to watch. The scene where he wakes up in a new place after an accident is still quite effective and, once again, his acting perfectly portrays the emotions of someone new in that environment, he also should have pulled his trousers up a little when he was escaping to look even more convincing. Although, it did seem kind of odd how he didn't tell anyone that he was ever there, I'm sure he was embarrassed but when people start to ask where he was, you'd have thought that he would have said something. They mention earlier in the film that they have tried everything to help him but they should have tried professional help continuously and it also seems weird that he hasn't encountered that place where he ended up after his accident, sooner. Also, I am surprised that he didn't mention that Don heard Helen's parents earlier talking about him before they were supposed to meet; I know he says he got nervous but he has his reasons why but didn't explain. The rest of the cast are great as well and all play their parts well.

The cinematography in this film was very good but it remains like it usually is in Wilder's work, good for what it does but isn't anything too extravagant to cause notice to the fact that you're watching a film. However, I especially liked when Don is frantically looking for a bottle he hid whilst on his bed but always keeping the lampshade in shot, I thought that was a little neat trick. I did think that his drink would be a little warm though, not like I think he would really care and I am surprised he didn't fall off the chair when he put it up there, he was drunk, after all. Or that the milk outside his door hadn't been knocked over, maybe someone put it back up for him, they make a good joke about the milk at the end though, which I liked. The music of the film was very good also, even if, in the now iconic scene where Don is walking down the street with the neon signs, it did seem to get a bit loud. Given how desperate he was, as well with the tone of the music, I expected him to break into a shop just to get some money. I did like the edit where it focuses on one stain left by the drink and then later on showing us many, it was smart and well done, and is now iconic.

Even though we know why he wants to stay, I thought at first that Don wanted to go to the concert as well and it seemed funny that he would leave his brother behind at the last minute. It also seems like they should have already left for their 3:15 train if it was only 5 to 3 but they hadn't even finished packing yet and I'm surprised nobody had been notified about that bottle, unless he only recently put it down there. I liked how the bartender said that Don had to stop drinking whilst filling up his drink right there and then, he can't force a customer to stop drinking, but still. We see Don put his drink down at one point when he realizes he has some still left at home but he was only asking for more, and, even though he didn't really want them, earlier on his apples dropped out of the bag! The bartender also just holds out the glass of water to that person who walks in, which was funny. He could have explained earlier on that he had something valuable in his coat to the clerk and even explained it to get his coat earlier, it goes against regulations, sure, but if you can explain what it was, wouldn't that work? But of course if that happened then he couldn't meet Helen and when they do meet, he was rather rude but they do go on to have a good relationship and at least he was honest about the drink falling out. I liked the dancing coats he sees in the show, even though you might expect them to be dancing bottles. I didn't really understand how Helen knew of Wick's name when they only just met, the way they were talking you'd have thought they had known each other for a while and why was that drink in that holder near the door at the end?

He says that he doesn't have any ambition but given how he talks and especially near the end when he is confronted with this, it is clear that he does and the way that the film loops back around on itself at the end really signifies how much of an epic journey we have gone on and showcases how much has changed, and Wednesday was the only day not used in the film. Milland said that he when he went to the movies he wanted to be entertained, not depressed but it looks like he made the opposite because this really is a powerful film, seeing it when it was first released must have been a very new experience. This film set a record at the time for winning the top prize at both Cannes and the Oscars, which still has only been accomplished by one other film, 'Marty', as well with Milland only bowing when he won his Oscar, although he did say some words backstage and it still holds up very well and has a great film poster. Perfectly paced, scripted and acted, 'The Lost Weekend is a compelling film and a great adaptation and a worthy Best Picture winner.