The Lost Weekend poster

The Lost Weekend

The screen dares to open the strange and savage pages of a shocking bestseller!

7.6(696)19451h 41m5

Longtime alcoholic Don Birnam 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.

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Status
Released
Budget
$1.3M
Box office
$11M
Language
English
  • based on novel or book
  • alcohol
  • brother
  • paranoia
  • bartender
  • addiction
  • alcoholism
  • flashback
  • film noir
  • suicidal
  • black and white
  • writer

Top billed cast

Behind the camera

Director

Billy Wilder

Produced in

United States of America

Where to watch

All options

Availability for India. Provided by JustWatch through the TMDB API.

Gallery

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Videos

Release dates

  • United StatesUS

    • TheatricalNRLos Angeles, California29 Nov 1945
  • AustriaAT

    • Theatrical121 Jan 1948
  • BrazilBR

    • Physical14IMDB25 Jun 2012
  • ChinaCN

    • PremiereShanghai International Film Festival13 Jun 2026
  • DenmarkDK

    • Theatrical21 Apr 1948
  • FranceFR

    • TheatricalU4 Feb 1947
  • GermanyDE

    • Theatrical12genauer Tag der Veröffentlichung unbekannt1 Feb 1948
  • HungaryHU

    • Theatrical612 Jun 1947
  • IrelandIE

    • TheatricalPG4 Jan 1946
  • JapanJP

    • TheatricalG5 Dec 1947
  • NetherlandsNL

    • PhysicalALDVD24 Feb 2005
    • PhysicalALBlu ray25 Jun 2012
    • TheatricalALRelease5 Jul 2018
  • South KoreaKR

    • Theatrical1515 Oct 1948

Frequently asked questions

The Lost Weekend was released on 29 November 1945.

Audience reviews

4
  • J

    John Chard

    2/8/2017

    9/10

    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 maste…

  • N

    Nutshell

    8/3/2019

    10/10

    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 even criminal behavior of the lead character. More than 70 years after its release this film still packs a huge punch.

  • J

    JPV852

    12/4/2020

    8/10

    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 realistic take on alcoholism (never drank myself) from director Billy Wilder. It is a bit optimistic in the end but still an engaging enough drama. **3.75/5**

  • C

    CinemaSerf

    7/1/2022

    7/10

    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 is frequently wrecked by his chronic alcoholism. Just when he might be on the wagon, however, his addiction becomes even more acute and he diverts $10 meant for their cleaner and goes on a massive bender reaching the dep…

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