Where to watch The Lost Weekend online

Storyline

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.

Released

1945-11-29
Revenue

$11,000,000
Budget

$1,250,000
Runtime

1hr 41m
Genre

Drama
Status

Released
Language

English
7.9
Production

Paramount Pictures

Crew

Billy Wilder

Director

Charles R. Jackson

Novel

Charles Brackett

Producer

Keywords:

based on novel or book alcohol brother paranoia bartender addiction alcoholism flashback film noir suicidal black and white writer alcoholic bats low self esteem dishonesty hopelessness delirium tremens lies devoted girlfriend

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Cast

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

Andy Andrews

Alcoholic (uncredited)

Walter Baldwin

Man from Albany (uncredited)

Harry Barris

Pianist at Harry & Joe's (uncredited)

Jess Lee Brooks

(uncredited)

Jack Rube Clifford

Guard (uncredited)

David Clyde

Dave (uncredited)

James Conaty

Man in Nightclub Washroom (uncredited)

Willa Pearl Curtis

Mrs. Wertheim's Assistant (uncredited)

John Deauville

Cloakroom Attendant (uncredited)

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)

Jerry James

Male Nurse (uncredited)

Stan Johnson

Nurse (uncredited)

Jack W. Johnston

Nightclub Guest (uncredited)

Karl 'Karchy' Kosiczky

Baby (uncredited)

Eddie Laughton

Mr. Brophy (uncredited)

Perc Launders

Doorman (uncredited)

Bertram Marburgh

Jewish Man (uncredited)

William Meader

Hardware Man (uncredited)

James Millican

Nurse (uncredited)

Frank Mills

Drunk in Alcoholic Ward (uncredited)

Pat Moriarity

Irishman (uncredited)

William Newell

Liquor Store Proprietor (uncredited)

William O'Leary

Irishman (uncredited)

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)

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)

Milton Wallace

Pawnbroker with Helen's Coat (uncredited)

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)

Isabel Withers

Woman Before Pawn Shop (uncredited)

Audrey Young

Cloak Room Attendant (uncredited)

Dick Gordon

Hotel Desk Clerk (uncredited)

Videos and Photos

Movie Reviews

Reviews for The Lost Weekend

A Review by John Chard 9

Written by John Chard on 2017-02-08

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 ... read more

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

A Review by nutshell 10

Written by nutshell on 2019-08-03

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. ... read more

A Review by JPV852 8

Written by JPV852 on 2020-12-04

This Best Picture winner (also won for director, actor and screenplay) was decently acted, albeit a bit too theatrical (stage type) for my t... read more

A Review by Geronimo1967 7

Written by Geronimo1967 on 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 - ... read more

Read Full Review (The thoughts and opinions expressed here are solely those of the reviewer.)

A Review by John Chard

A Review by John Chard 9

Written by John Chard on 2017-02-08

A Review by nutshell 10

Written by nutshell on 2019-08-03

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 ...

A Review by JPV852 8

Written by JPV852 on 2020-12-04

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 reali...

A Review by Geronimo1967 7

Written by Geronimo1967 on 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 ...