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Phrase origin

Posted by Smokey Stover on September 26, 2003

In Reply to: Phrase origin posted by Susan on September 26, 2003

: When and where did "Lost Weekend" become a household phrase ?

: Lost Weekend became a household phrase in 1945, when Ray Milland achieved stardom and an Oscar for his portrayal, in the movie "The Lost Weekend," of an alcoholic writer who lost an entire weekend in the search for booze. The film also won an Oscar for best picture, and Billy Wilder, the director, won two for it. It is a depressing but realistic story, presented with intensity and artistry, and in a period when there was no TV was seen by millions. Its main thrust was unforgettable, and I believe that the usual use of the phrase is as a reference to losing a weekend to booze, or, jocularly, to some pseudo-equivalent.

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