Sunday, June 10, 2007
The Lost Weekend
In “The Lost Weekend,” Wilder brilliantly tells the story of Don Birnum’s downward spiral towards an attempted suicide due to alcoholism. Wilder precisely portrays the struggles that an alcoholic experiences, as well as the repercussions and destruction that this disease imposes on the family. In addition, the personality characteristics, emotions, and behavioral patterns of an alcoholic were depicted perfectly by Ray Milland, the actor who played Don Birnum, that the audience is truly able to understand the intensity and extent of the disease of alcoholism. Wilder uniquely presents the film by having Don tell his own story by ranting to a bar tender about the book he is writing. Don’s book is essentially an autobiography and as Don tells each part of the story to the bartender, the film flash backs to what happened in Don’s life. The audience is able to see Don’s actions and emotions that have put him in his misery. Wilder also utilizes music to evoke the same emotions that Don is feeling in the audience. The music speeds up and is a musical tone similar to what you hear in action or horror films. The audience is able to experience Don’s anxiety and desperate need for alcohol in each scene that he frantically searches for a new bottle, going from bar to bar to be served, borrowing money, stealing, and even resorting to stealing from his devoted girlfriend Helen. Lastly, while the title of the film is “The Lost Weekend,” perhaps referring to the weekend trip Don was meant to take with his older brother Wick, it is in this weekend that Don actually decides not to end his life and re-attempt to give up alcohol. So, in losing a weekend, he re-gained his life.
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The Lost Weekend
May I first say that this was a very well done film. This film obviously is about a man whose life is run by alcohol. When I was watching, I find myself hoping that Don Birnum would have the will power to say no to his craving for his drug of choice, alcohol. Watching this film really made me think about alcohol, and the emphasis that is put on getting drunk; at least which is the case in college. Back home at State it seems like people drink just to get drunk, or to forget about the horrible week they had at school. I know that I personally have felt bad, and turned to alcohol to “drown my sorrows.” This film depicts how nasty and addicting alcohol can become if not kept under control. Don in the film, was not able to go an hour without being drunk or pleading to a bar tender to spare him a shot. The addiction even leads him to committing crimes that a normal man would not do. Once again this comes back to the binge drinking that our college is known for. It is important for everyone, and especially us as college students to understand, that alcohol is a drug and it can be over used. As Don depicts in the film alcohol can ruin lives, and unless it is consumed in moderation there is a possibility that it can become a problem. This is important for all college students to keep in the back of their minds every weekend when they go out. Also, alcoholism is a serious problem, something that I know first hand. Alcohol changes people, and when people cannot go without they become empty people. On of my relatives had this problem, for a rather long time, and it hurt our family to watch him demolish his family life because of drink. Don does the same, and watching him reminded me of my relative, and all the problems he had. It is sad, but in Don’s case aw well, they can only become full again, once they have given up the stuff. Now my relative is happy in his family life, has a good job and enjoys life in general, all without alcohol. He is a better person now that he does not give into the temptation of “liquid courage.” I am not saying that alcohol is a bad thing, in fact, I very much enjoy multiple beers, it is just important to remember that it can be over used, and it take a film like The Lost Weekend, to remind us sometimes.
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