Classic Movie Marathon Day 9: The Lost Weekend (1945)

Welcome to day nine of the Classic Movie Marathon. Nine movies down, three movies to go! Next up is The Woman in the Window (1944).


Addiction. It's a favourite topic of the movies. And the more depressing they are, the better. The Lost Weekend is no where near as depressing as the likes of Requiem for a Dream, but it still has a resounding effect on the viewer. I guess that's why it won Best Picture at the Oscars. Those voters like to be depressed, even though they like to call it 'being emotionally moved'. Billy Wilder's story of alcoholism is one which isn't to be taken light-heartedly, even though it has some great humour sprinkled through it. I just have one question though...why is it always the writer that has all the problems? Yeah, now I'm way too scared to even be known as a writer in fear that I might turn out as an alcoholic too.

So yeah, Don Birnam (Ray Milland) is a writer (supposedly) who is a little bit fond of the bottle in his times of need. But he's been off the bottle for a little while and he's about to go on a holiday weekend planned by his brother Wick (Phillip Terry) and his girlfriend Helen (Jane Wyman). Buying some time before he goes off on this weekend by making  trip to his long deserted watering hole to have a drink...or five. He winds up drunk and misses his train out of town, so instead of going on a nice sober weekend he decides to go on a bender, which leaves in all sorts of trouble. As the title would suggest, Don does find himself 'lost' in this weekend.

This movie really comes down to the performance by British actor Ray Milland. While I found his character quite annoying (that wasn't him, I just have something against the effects of alcohol), he managed to get heart out of the bottled up person he was. He anchors the production and provides it with that emotional vulnerability and instability that it needs, all the while making the viewer feel for him. It was quite interesting taking a look into why an alcoholic is an alcoholic. This is played beautifully through a flashback that Don has while he is having a quiet one. Billy Wilder did a good job on zoning in, also, on how it feels to be under the influence of the drink. His direction and screenplay, backed up by a positively unsettling score, conveyed the madness and insecurity which comes with the demon. This movie could probably work just as well as a horror. The love of a woman is a real problem I had with this movie. I mean, it was sweet, and essential, that someone would care so much for Mr. Birnam. But the whole thing seemed incredibly cliched and it made the ending even worse. I hate it when a movie can be so gritty for 90% of the time and the end is the most uplifting thing ever. I would have rathered that escort be the love interest because her ultra-abbreviated way of speaking was pretty damn modern.

What I got:

Classic Movie Marathon Day 1: Double Indemnity

 Welcome to Day 1 of the Classic Movie Marathon. One movie down, 11 to go. Up next is Gaslight (1944).

Well, hello there, film noir, I have missed you in my year long vacation from classic movies. And let me be the one to say this: noir just doesn't come any better than Double Indemnity. It has everything: murder, intrigue, good guy gone bad for the love of a woman, adultery, a suspicious kid, an evil stepmother, Edward G. Robinson, trains, anklets and a really dodgy blonde wig. How did it take me so long to watch this one? This is like, one of my favourite movies ever now.

In 1944, the themes of murder and adultery were a little bit frowned upon because of the Production Code, so Double Indemnity was definitely something different. Watching it now, it's easy to see that this movie has clearly influenced murder stories, and rightfully so - this will always be one of the greats. And it didn't even win any Oscars, out of the seven nominations it scored. Barbara Stanwyck went another year without a win, even though her performance is one of the best female performances I have ever seen. From the moment we first see Phyllis Dietrichson, dressed only in a towel, looking as cool as ever even though her wig (chosen by director Billy Wilder to make her look 'phony') didn't quite suit her, we know she means business. She has such charm, which she uses as a weapon against Walter Neff (Fred MacMurray), even though she's really quite fickle. If she's around her family, especially her step-daughter Lola (Jean Heather), where she appears to cut off all affection. That could be said for the way she acts around her husband (Tom Powers).

Stanwyck's acting is simply brilliant, as she works her way out from under the weight of that wig, and is complimented by the costuming and cinematography. Notice how she always wears floaty and loose clothing? I think that just suggests what kind of her character she is. She doesn't want to be constrained by anything, whether it be clothing or her husband. She just wants to be a free woman - with a bit of cash - and has to wrap something, or someone, around her to get exactly what she wants. I also loved the way the camera would have her in the centre, and she'd look perfectly evil with her sunglasses shielding her eyes away from question. I swear, in one scene where she is plotting her husbands murder, I can see Stanwyck's eyes reeling Neff in. That makes the pairing of her and MacMurray even more exciting...they are the perfectly mismatched murderers. He becomes the backbone of the story as he is the narrator, and the story is told through a series of his flashbacks. I found it hard to sympathize with him, though, since he was stupid enough to fall under the spell of Mrs. Dietrichson, but I did feel as if he didn't deserve what was coming to him at the end.

The dialogue in this movie is whip-smart, and frequently quite funny considering the subject at hand. The narrative structure is well placed, and it always keeps you watching. It turns a corner and there is new information being unfolded...this movie just keeps unfolding until it had a hundred creases. The camerawork and direction from Billy Wilder is flawless. He makes good use of darkness and shadows, doorways and windows, close ups and wide shots. He captures the true meaning of film noir, an intricate story shrouded in stylish dark surroundings with a romantic strain to match. Noir is in fact one of my favourite genres, and Double Indemnity is certainly the best classic noir I have ever seen.

What I got: