Days of Wine & Roses

Normally, accuracy in a film never bothers me - the fewer facts clogging up the narrative the better. But the filmmakers' decision to elucidate or preach has a direct bearing on the movie. Genuine alcoholism has no clear, direct cause - people usually drift into it imperceptibly for a variety of insignificant, but accumulative reasons. There are rarely easily sign-posted, dramatic, 'Meaningful' moments when all is either lost or salvaged. We never sense with this film the messiness of alcoholism, the smells, the fluids, the desperation, the bleariness, the staleness, the impotence, the shift in outlook or sensibility. I'm sure the characters feel all these things, but we're not shown them. Instead, they get to speak Wilder-like epigrams full of irony, word-play, poetic quotations and cogent self-pity. Remick's decline is signalled by exchanging poetry for cartoons - chucking Ernest Dowson for Tex Avery displays excellent judgement, and the filmmakers' elitist inability to see this suggests what's wrong with 'Roses'.

At the time, Lemmon was applauded for his unexpected dramatic prowess, but his character here is an extension of the neurotic, white-collar executives worn down by the rat-race he always played. Both he and Remick, despite their best and sincere efforts, are phony approximations or genteel impersonations of drunkenness. Charles Bickford as Remick's stern father, with his narrow code of decency and integrity, and complete inability to comprehend such crises of modern life that might lead a younger generation to intoxicate themselves for escape, shames them both.

The film is a disturbing adaptation of J.P. Miller's Playhouse 90 story. Joe Clay, (Lemmon) is a San Francisco public relations man who likes to hoist a few and have a good time. When he meets secretary Kirsten Arnesen (Lee Remick), who doesn't drink, he is taken be her, and after a short time they marry. After a few more months, Kirsten is able to put away as much liquor as her husband. As the years pass, Joe loses one job after another and his wife neglects their child until he begins to realize that both of them are alcoholics. soon the couple moves into her father's (Charles Bickford) nursery to dry out, but following a couple of weeks "on the wagon", they go on a total drinking binge. Joe nearly destroys a greenhouse in a fanatic search for a drink and ends up in hospital ward. Former alcoholic Jim Hungerford (Jack Klugman) tries to help them both...

Edwards offers an unflinching look at alcoholism. I remember seiing The Lost Weekend (also featuring an alcoholic) in film school, and being amazed, I felt the same way after I saw this movie. Lemmon and Remick are very good together. The film avoids any cliche about the subject and can make you feel for the couple, while at the same time being repulsed by some of their behavior at the same time--not an easy task. Anyone expecting a laugh riot from the director need not apply or want to. Edwards comedies are funny--most of them anyway--it's nice to know that his was willing to tackle a tough issue.

The DVD boasts a fine audio commentary by from Edwards. He is very easy going and informative about the production. You also get to see a vintage interview with Jack Lemmon, in which, he also discusses the film. The theatrical trailer tops off the bonus material.

To those viewers, who want to see Lemmon in one of his best dramatic roles, watch this. I still can't believe it took me this long to see this movie--I'm very glad I did