The Lost Weekend

Rating: 4/5

The Lost Weekend is a movie that's primarily impressive for its lead performance. Ray Milland plays Don Birnam, a struggling alcoholic who believes he has fooled his brother and girlfriend into thinking he's sober. One weekend, all his efforts to remain on the wagon are derailed, and Don gets incredibly drunk in a bar. Throughout the movie, Don recounts the events in his life that have lead him to his current predicament.

The Lost Weekend is far from flashy. It has a modest runtime, a small cast, and a simple story, however, it is very effective. As you begin to learn more about Don's past and about his girlfriend Helen, played by Jane Wyman, you get more and more invested in his life. While watching, every time he reached for a bottle, I found myself getting tensed up, not knowing what repercussions would unfold based on his actions. I was honestly a little surprised how much I found myself being pulled into the plot, and it's without a doubt majorly in part to Ray Milland's and Jane Wyman's performances. When Don was at his lowest, it looked painstakingly real. He'd practically pushed away everyone who cared about him, and as harsh as his reality was, you couldn't exactly blame Helen for being fed up with his behavior, but you also strongly sympathized with him, and hoped that by the end of the movie, his character would be somehow redeemed.

I didn't know much about The Lost Weekend before watching it, but it's definitely one of the many reasons why the 1940s have been one of my favorite movie decades so far in this Oscar Best Picture Challenge.

1946 Best Picture Winner- The Lost Weekend

1946 Best Actor in a Leading Role Winner- Ray Milland

1946 Best Director Winner- Billy Wilder

1946 Best Writing, Screenplay Winner- Charles Brackett and Billy Wilder