Lost Weekends: Alcoholism in the Movies
7:00-9:30 PM (Except as noted)
Ceremonial Hall - 4th floor
Host and discussion leader: Kurt Brokaw, MS, teaches at The New School and the 92nd Street Y
A 10-week fall film series featuring screenings/discussions of the rarest and classic feature films on drinking and drinkers.
| Date | Title |
|---|---|
| Oct. 2 | Introduction. The Struggle D.W. Griffth's final and only talking film (1931, 77 min.). The first feature about an alcoholic. Script by Anita Loos. Plus key scenes from Nightmare Alley; Bottom of the Bottle; Come Back Little Sheba; 8 Million Ways To Die; Leaving Las Vegas, and My Name Is Bill W. |
| Oct. 9 | The Lost Weekend From Charles Jackson's novel, the most harrowing portrait of a drunk in 20th century fiction, with Ray Milland and Jane Wyman, directed by Billy Wilder. 1945 Oscars: Best Picture, Actor, Director, Screenplay. |
| Oct. 16 | Smash-up, The Story Of A Woman Susan Hayward, a powerhouse actress, stars as a nightclub singer and failing parent in 1945 Manhattan who descends into alcoholism. Eddie Albert is a supportive songwriter. |
| Oct. 23 | Something To Live For (1954) Ray Milland returns as a recovering alcoholic who 12th-steps Joan Fontaine, losing his sobriety. With Teresa Wright, directed by George Stevens. Plus scenes from Milland's drunken "Night Into Morning" (1954). |
| Oct. 30 | I'll Cry Tomorrow Susan Hayward returns in 1955 as Follies beauty and Hollywood star Lillian Roth in this stirring, biographical drama. Eddie Albert co-stars again, this time as a recovering alcoholic. |
| Nov. 6 | Come Fill The Cup A great 1951 performance by James Cagney as a drunken Chicago news reporter. With Phyllis Thaxter, From Harlan Ware's boozy gangland novel. Cagney's one lost film, rarely seen. |
| Nov. 13 | The Country Girl Bing Crosby's astonishing 1954 role as an alcoholic actor trying for a last comeback, based on Clifford Odets' play. William Holden is his director, Oscar-winning Grace Kelly is his wife. |
| Nov. 20 | Days Of Wine and Roses PR exec and drunk (Jack Lemmon) plunges his wife (Lee Remick in her finest role) into alcoholism with him. Blake Edwards directs this 1962 classic from J.P. Miller's script with unflinching realism. |
| Nov. 27 | Under The Volcano Albert Finney is the alcoholic counsel. In John Huston's stark 1984 drama set in Mexico, based on the autobiographical 1947 novel by Malcolm Lowry. With Jacqueline Bisset, Katy Jurado. Quite rare. |
| Dec. 4 7:00-10:00 p.m. double feature! | Barfly and Drunks First Charles Bukowski's 1987 LA bar scene with Faye Dunaway and Mickey Rourke. Then Peter Cohn's 1995 fictionalized Times Square AA meeting. Sharing are Faye Dunaway, Dianne Wiest, Richard Lewis, Amanda Plummer, Howard Rollins, Parker Posey and Spalding Gray. |
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