Classic Film Recommendation: The Lost Weekend
2 July 2006 in Blog | Comments enabled

Gather round, boys and girl, and I’ll tell you a tale of Billy Wilder’s tale of a drunk spending a long weekend spent pursuing the next drink. I recently got Tivo and setup several wishlists for some of the great directors. It’s pretty much recording Turner Classic Movies around the clock. This past month must have been Billy Wilder month. I’m having a blast discovering some of these classics for the first time.

The Lost Weekend stars Ray Milland as an alcoholic who plunges deep into his addiction when his brother (who usually keeps him sober) leaves for a weekend vacation. This movie snaps along at a wonderful pace. For anyone who thinks classic movies are boring, I suggest watching this one. From the first bottle hanging by a rope outside our protagonist’s window, to the last drop of liquor at the end of the movie, Billy keeps you on the edge of your seat. Each time Ray runs out and has to find his next drink is cinematic gold. You find yourself wanting him to get that next drink, even though you know it’s the worst possible thing for him. In that way, Billy puts us in the character’s shoes and helps you see alcoholics as sick people that need help. Jane Wyman plays Ray’s girlfriend who won’t give up on him and gives a wonderful performance.

Definitely check it out. I promise the next one won’t be a Billy Wilder film. Maybe I’ll do a swashbuckler to celebrate Pirates 2.