The Lost Weekend Trivia

1. Don Birnam (Ray Milland) is the antihero of the film. What is his profession?

From Quiz The Lost Weekend

Answer: writer

It is brought out early in the movie that Don is a struggling writer who's always on the verge of starting to write a novel. Apparently he suffers from a major writer's block which doesn't help his other problem. In one scene he makes an effort and actually types the title, author and dedication, but that's as far as he gets before thinking about having a drink.

From Quiz "The Lost Weekend" (1945)

Answer: Ray Milland

Ray Milland won three awards for this film. His acting career spanned well over fifty years. One of his less notable performances, was his role as Dr. Maxwell Kirshner in the 1972 film, "The Man with Two Heads". This particular film has the dubious distinction of being one of the fifty worst movies ever made. Even so, Ray Milland's performance in this film is superb.

From Quiz The Lost Weekend

Answer: Wick

Wick Birnam (Phillip Terry) has the unenviable and seldom successful task of always trying to keep Don away from alcohol and covering up when Don is on a bender. Phillip Terry appeared in minor movie roles until his appearance in this movie which gave a boost to his career. He also went on to make many guest appearances in TV shows. He passed away in 1993 at age 83.

From Quiz "The Lost Weekend" (1945)

Answer: It's outside of his apartment window, tied to a string.

Don has suspended a bottle of whiskey with a string, outside of his apartment window. Wick has carelessly flicked a cigarette towards the window, which lands on the window ledge. While retrieving the still burning cigarette, Wick notices the string along with the bottle of whiskey. Somewhat disgusted at Don's ruse, Wick pours the contents of the bottle into the sink.

From Quiz The Lost Weekend

Answer: La Traviata

The "Drinking Song" in the production makes Don think about alcohol again. He gets restless and tries to leave the theater knowing he has a bottle in the pocket of his coat, but there is a mix-up at the coat check. He is given a woman's fur coat which forces him to have to wait until the opera is over to exchange coats. He meets Helen St. James (Jane Wyman) and is quite brusque with her at first, but they gradually warm up to each another.

From Quiz "The Lost Weekend" (1945)

Answer: He finds money left by Wick to pay the maid.

Unexpectedly, the maid arrives to clean the apartment. Not to be bothered, Don asks her to come back another time. The maid wants to know if Wick has left her any money. Suddenly inspired, Don asks where the money might be. The maid replies that it is in the kitchen, inside the cookie jar.

From Quiz The Lost Weekend

Answer: packing for a trip

Don and his brother are planning a weekend trip hoping it will get Don's creative juices flowing again. However, Don's hidden bottle is discovered and disposed of by his brother. Don's girlfriend, Helen St. James (Jane Wyman), arrives with opera tickets and tries to persuade the Birnams to take a later train. It ends up that Don's brother goes with Helen to the opera, leaving Don alone to seek alcohol.

From Quiz "The Lost Weekend" (1945)

Answer: "Oh, Mr. Birnam, why don't you lay off the stuff for a while?"

Enlivened by having a couple of drinks, Don, with a great deal of animation, describes his plot to Nat. Nat really doesn't approve of the way Don drinks. He tries to discourage Don from carrying out his plan, by suggesting that he just, "lay off the stuff for a while."

From Quiz The Lost Weekend

Answer: Nat

Played by actor Howard Da Silva, Nat reluctantly sells drinks to Don, because he knows how drink effects him. At one point Don begs Nat, "Let me have one, Nat. I'm dying. Just one." to which Nat replies, "One's too many and a hundred's not enough." Da Silva had a 40 year movie career appearing in mainly action/adventure films. He also portrayed Benjamin Franklin in the 1972 musical movie "1776".

From Quiz The Lost Weekend

Answer: Frank Faylen

Faylen's portrayal of orderly Bim Nolan is creepy as he explains what goes on in the alcoholic ward of the hospital and details of the DTs all with a deadpan monotone, "Delirium is a disease of the night. Good night." Quite a change from the likeable character of Ernie Bishop, the taxi driver, he played the following year in the Christmas-themed movie "It's a Wonderful Life". He went on to act in many TV series and may be best known for playing the father of the title character in the TV series "The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis" (1959-63).

From Quiz "The Lost Weekend" (1945)

Answer: Jane Wyman

Jane Wyman was married to Ronald Reagan, a former actor himself, who later went into politics, becoming the fortieth president of the United States. Wyman achieved critical acclaim with her performance in this film.

From Quiz The Lost Weekend

Answer: whiskey

Don asks for rye whiskey at the bar and at several liquor stores. When one of the liquor store proprietors asks what kind Don wants, he replies, "You know what brand, Mr. Brophy. The cheapest. None of that twelve year old aged in wood; not for me."

From Quiz "The Lost Weekend" (1945)

Answer: theremin

The theremin, invented by Lev Theremin, provides the ethereal music for this film. It has also been used in several science fiction films. The unique qualities of the theremin have also been used in science fiction television classics, such as, "The Outer Limits" and "Star Trek".

From Quiz The Lost Weekend

Answer: a mouse and a bat

Don thinks he sees a mouse gnawing a hole through the wall of his apartment, as a bat swoops in from the window and attacks the mouse. Blood runs down the wall and Don starts screaming. Just then, Helen arrives and interrupts. Don begs her not to look, but when she turns on the light, nothing is there.

From Quiz "The Lost Weekend" (1945)

Answer: his failure as a writer

Don is supposed to meet Helen's parents. Don overhears a conversation between Helen's parents and avoids meeting them. Helen seeks Don out and meets Wick at Don's apartment. Wick valiantly tries to cover for Don, but Helen divines the truth of the situation. Undaunted, she encourages Don to seek help and work his way through his writer's block.

From Quiz The Lost Weekend

Answer: his girlfriend's coat

Helen owns a striking leopard fur coat. Don has sunk so low that he steals her coat and pawns it. He also unsuccessfully tries to pawn his typewriter on another occasion which could have been his main source of income if he settled down to write. On another occasion he took the money that his brother left to pay the housekeeper.

From Quiz "The Lost Weekend" (1945)

Answer: It's Yom Kippur.

Weary and frustrated to no end, Don meets some businessmen, standing in front of a closed pawn shop. Don asks why every pawn shop is closed, and the men reply that it's Yom Kippur, a Jewish holiday. Further, they have an agreement with the other pawn shop owners, that the Jewish pawn shop owners will close on St. Patrick's Day.

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