Ray Milland received his Best Actor Academy Award (on his only nomination) portraying a man struggling with his alcoholism in this Oscar winning Best Picture, which also saw Billy Wilder earn his first Oscars (Director and Screenplay; the latter shared with his frequent collaborator, and this film's producer Charles Brackett) and showcases Jane Wyman's dramatic acting ability for the first time, leading to her first (of four) Best Actress nomination in The Yearling (1946) (and award for Johnny Belinda (1948)). Also receiving nominations from the Academy were John Seitz's B&W Cinematography, Doane Harrison's Editing, and Miklós Rózsa's Score. Added to the National Film Registry in 2011.
The story follows Don Birnam (Milland), an unsuccessful writer, over a several day alcoholic binge. His girlfriend Helen St. James (Wyman) and his brother Wick (Phillip Terry) are unable to help him remain sober. Howard Da Silva is the bartender Nat, with whom Don converses with at various times; the others in the cast are the people he meets in the different stages of his drunkenness.
The story follows Don Birnam (Milland), an unsuccessful writer, over a several day alcoholic binge. His girlfriend Helen St. James (Wyman) and his brother Wick (Phillip Terry) are unable to help him remain sober. Howard Da Silva is the bartender Nat, with whom Don converses with at various times; the others in the cast are the people he meets in the different stages of his drunkenness.