What do you do if you fall in love with the wrong person? That's the quandary faced by the lovely Helen St. James in The Lost Weekend. See, Helen's long-time boyfriend Don Birnam is a smart, swell guy and all, but there's one little problem: he's also a raging alcoholic.
Although Helen's both unshakably loyal to her man and unshakably optimistic about his chances for recovery, we'll see these feelings put to the test when Don goes on the bender to end all benders over the course of the film.
Questions about Love
- Does Don love Helen? Explain your answer.
- How does Helen show her love for Don? How does this affect him?
- Why does Helen stay with Don?
- In what ways does the movie portray the brotherly love between Don and Wick?
Chew on This
Take a peek at these thesis statements. Agree or disagree?
If his actions in the film are any indication, Don doesn't actually love Helen, but is simply co-dependent with her.
Although he sometimes acts to the contrary, Don clearly loves Helen, as she inspires him to get better.