Bim (Frank Faylen)

Character Analysis

Although Bim only has a bit part in The Lost Weekend, his brief appearance is totally unforgettable. To be fair, we don't know how much of that we attribute to the character itself, and how much we attribute to the amazingly off-putting performance delivered by actor Frank Faylen.

Bim's a nurse at the alcoholic ward where Don enjoys a brief stay. He serves as the gatekeeper for the bizarre world, guiding newcomers (like Don) and giving them a hint of what their future will be like if their alcoholism remains unchecked. To hear Bim tell it, being a lifelong alkie is all but inevitable.

Oddly, Bim seems to get a perverse pleasure out of explaining the futility of addiction to Don. Is it his way of getting back at alcoholics for making his job so stressful? Or is he just giving his honest opinion?

We're not sure, but Bim's disposition isn't quite what one would expect from a dude who's dedicated his life to curing alcoholics—or trying to cure them, at least.