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Examples Of Alcoholism In The Lost Weekend

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Sacrificial Drinking: Alcoholism in The Lost Weekend Released in 1945, The Lost Weekend, directed by Billy Wilder, is a film that follows the story of alcoholic writer Don Birnam’s destructive weekend. The film follows the popular film-noir style of its time to bring to light all the darkness alcohol has to offer. Alcoholism is an issue that has been around well before the film was released and it still runs rampant today. Don Birnam, played by Ray Milland, is an embodiment of the very image of an alcoholic, an image that still holds true. Throughout the film Birnam’s addiction leads him to sacrifice himself as well as others in an attempt to satisfy his unquenchable thirst for alcohol. The style of this film helps present the subject with …show more content…

Birnam sacrifices the relationships he forms with those close to him, so that he may get closer to his inebriating liquid. The first person the alcoholism affects would be his brother. Wick has to provide for Birnam financially and emotionally as his family. Yet despite Wick’s love and care, Birnam puts drinking before their relationship. In the scene shortly after Wick leaves for the theater, Birnam discovers and spends the rent money for alcohol. He then avoids going on the vacation his brother had planned just so he could stay home and drink. Birnam knows Wick loves him, but Wick makes it clear he disapproves of his drinking. This is only an obstacle that Birnam must patch to reach his goal of drunkenness. His girlfriend Helen shows the most concern for his addiction and she loves him dearly. She has the ability to end the relationship and move on, yet she has hope that he will change and continues to love him. All this being said, Birnam still treats her as an obstacle. There is a scene where Helen has been searching for Birnam and is clearly upset. Birnam sees her but does everything he can to avoid confronting her. This is because he would rather be with the whiskey he bought than with his love. That then brings to question who does he really love, Helen or the whiskey? The fact that he chooses her in the end is the only proof that he does indeed love her. Otherwise, the only relationship Birnam is concerned about is between him and the

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