Watch Days of Wine and Roses

Days of Wine and Roses is a powerful drama from 1962 that follows the downfall of a young couple known for their charm and wit in the early 1960s society. The movie stars the brilliant Jack Lemmon as Joe Clay, a hard-working PR executive with the charm that makes him stand out from the crowd. Lee Remick plays Kirsten Arnesen, a bright and beautiful woman who refuses to conform to the traditional female stereotypes of the era.

The movie begins with Joe and Kirsten meeting at a party and hitting it off immediately. They have a shared love of alcohol that quickly becomes a common bond between them. Their love leads them on a journey of romance and tragedy as they come to understand the devastating impact of their excessive drinking on their lives and those of their loved ones.

At first, Joe and Kirsten's drinking is all fun and games. As they fall more deeply in love, they share their love for alcohol more intensely until their happiness is dependent on it. They marry, have a child, and life seems to be going well until, slowly but surely, their love for liquor slowly starts to unravel everything.

As the couple's addiction takes over, communication breaks down, and their love starts becoming overwhelmed by their self-destructing habits. Kirsten is unable to keep up with the pace of Joe's professional life, and her frustration leads her deeper into her drinking problem. Joe, on the other hand, tries to hold things together by keeping up his work and drinking, but ultimately his life spirals out of control too.

The depiction of addiction in Days of Wine and Roses is both harrowing and realistic, showing how the addiction to alcohol can consume individuals to the point of ruining their lives. Director Blake Edwards tackled a complex and challenging subject matter with this movie, portraying the final days of the alcoholic pair is both tragic and heart-wrenching.

The movie is a treatise on how two people can lose themselves in addiction, and how vulnerable love can be to substance abuse. Jack Lemmon's boundless energy and comedic timing works well in the first half of the film, creating a sense of fun and humor that counterbalances the darker themes that emerge later. His scenes opposite Charles Bickford, who plays Joe's boss, are especially poignant and moving. Bickford plays Clem, a successful and experienced businessman who tries to help Joe through his difficult times. Throughout the movie, Clem shows a deep appreciation for Joe's work and his love for his daughter, and their friendship is one of the most moving aspects of the movie.

Lee Remick, on the other hand, gives an unforgettable performance as Kirsten. The contrast between her elegant demeanour and her descent into illness makes the character both sympathetic and frightening. The moment when she tries to hide her bottle of whisky behind her back while talking to her husband reveals how insidious and pervasive the addiction can be. The anguish and desperation she displays as her addiction grows worse show the depth of her emotional range, making her one of the standout characters of this movie.

With an unforgettable score by Henry Mancini, the movie's title song “Days of Wine and Roses,” perfectly encapsulates the mood of the film. The opening trumpet riff sets the tone for the tragedy that follows, reminding us of the intoxicating allure of the drink, and the pain that it can bring.

Overall, "Days of Wine and Roses" is a stunning masterpiece that will stick with viewers long after leaving the theatre. It's a timeless portrayal of the tragedy of addiction, and the power of love to overcome it. Jack Lemmon and Lee Remick give extraordinary performances, and Director Blake Edwards creates a heart-wrenching tale of two people who couldn't help but succumb to their darkest desires. Populated with unforgettable characters, solid direction, and a haunting score, "Days of Wine and Roses" is an undisputed classic and a must-watch for anyone looking to experience cinema at its best.

Days of Wine and Roses is a 1962 drama with a runtime of 1 hour and 57 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.8 and a MetaScore of 74.