The Film Is a Pretty Laughable Depiction of Alcoholism

The point about Brandy Alexanders was not that they made Kirsty addicted but that she was introduced to alcohol through a taste she liked. Once she had taken that step she began to appreciate the sensation drinking gave her, a sensation not that far removed from chocolate.

I think the film was heavy handed in depicting alcoholism and found it a bit preachy as a result, however I thought it exposed a lot of truths, especially of the craven needs that foster alcoholism/addiction in people. I like Jack Klugman in his role as Joe's AA mentor. I found him convincing and he took the edge off the preachiness somewhat.

Away with the manners of withered virgins

Joe and Kirsten became alcoholics over a period of years. And Kirsten didn't stay with brandy Alexanders. She was drinking gin straight from the bottle in the motel or wherever she was holed up.






"Joey, have you ever been in a Turkish prison?"

Okay, and if you can go to work, keep friends, not throw low punches when you have been drinking, and are okay with the damage to organs that drinking does, this movie is not about you. You are able to stop, you have a limit. This movie was more than just drinking. Kirsten was running away from life. She had two parent that loved and structured her life. But that support didn't teach her to deal with life. In fact she wasn't taught how to take care of herself, since others were doing it for her. Her plea at the end was for Joe to take care of her. Joe's alcoholism isn't as clear. He was hung-over, work was suffering, then he lost what he defined as life. Drinking became an escape too, his obsession. These people had no boundaries for drinking. Boundaries protect us.

If we can save humanity, we become the caretakers of the world

I thought the film was fairly progressive in it's portrayals of addiction/alcoholism for the 1960's. It touched on the idea that Kiersten had an addictive personality ( the chocolate theme). I liked it when Joe compared their relationship to a threesome- with booze as the 3rd party. They ended the film realistically and didn't sugar coat things by having them get back together in the end- their relationship was practically based on booze, and without it, there was likely very little left to salvage unfortunately.

It started with a couple of drinks, and it led to her drinking all the time.

Nothing wrong with having SOME drinks, but this woman was drinking to the point where she couldn't even function in society anymore. She couldn't care for her daughter. She couldn't live with her husband. No way would anyone hire her.

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Jim Hutton (1934-79) and Ellery Queen = 

The point of the movie is to show the hope that always exists and the damage that alcoholism causes.

If you believe that the pain and the desperation depicted here should be minimized then maybe you should look within yourself.

This behavior destroys people and those around it. It happens everyday.
The film also depicts hope. That there is a way out. Possibly not AA but there is hope.

The difference between this film and real life is that this was a fictional accounting of this terrible behavior.

The end depicts one character getting better but knowing that everyday the struggle is in his face. We see this in the blinking bar sign. We also see one character disappear into the darkness or the unknown. That character may never be ready to change.
Other then death, that is the only outcomes faced in this situation.

The main point is made clearly that this behavior is devastating but conquerable depending on the individual.

I find myself agreeing with you Brian...especially after reading a few replies insulting you. I just replied on another thread about the greenhouse scene. I REFUSE to believe he was that desperate to uncover yet another bottle after they down the first two. His need would have been sated. Now...if it were just a sip they had...I could see desperation in getting a solid buzz. Then later in the film he visits his wife and gets FALLING down drunk again.

If you're trying to portray real honest alcoholism...this isn't the way it works. Most are FULLY functional...and don't often get "falling down". If that were true you'd see a LOT more "falling down".

Jack Lemon is one of my very favorite actors of all time...but this movie...they must have felt they had to go extreme to make a good story.

I also think it's PERFECTLY fine to have a few drinks...it's not how much you drink but what you do when you drink that makes you an alcoholic. I play guitar, play video games, watch movies, go to work (NO DRINKING THERE!)...I do everything a non-drinker would do! So...what is the problem?

I did not find the film a laughable depiction of alcoholism. I doubt anyone whose life has been destroyed by this disease would find the film unrealistic. I speak from experience; I got sober 30 years ago when I was 35 years old.