Saturday Night and Sunday Morning

Dir: Karel Reisz

1960

*****

Karel Reisz’s 1960 British drama has become something of a classic. It was released during a very British new wave of films known as Kitchen Sink Dramas during the late 50s and early 60s. Kitchen sink realism was the term coined that described a certain movement indigenous to Britain that enveloped theatre, art, novels, film and television where the protagonists was usually an ‘angry young man’ disillusioned with modern society. It used a style of social realism, which depicted the domestic situations of working class Britons of the era, living in cramped rented accommodation and spending their off-hours drinking in pubs and working clubs, to explore controversial social and political issues ranging from abortion to homelessness. The harsh, realistic style contrasted sharply with the escapism of the previous generation's so-called ‘well made plays’ that could be broken down into a specific set of criteria, where the story depended upon a key piece of information kept from some characters, but known to others (and to the audience). Most of the story would take place before the action of the play began, making the beginning of the play a late point of attack. Exposition during act one would explain actions that precede the opening scene, which generates the audience's sympathy for the hero (or heroes) over their rival (or rivals). The plot would move forward in a chain of actions that use minor reversals of fortune to create suspense. The pace builds towards a climactic obligatory scene, in which the hero triumphs. This scene contains a climactic reversal of fortune, which was rarely the case with Kitchen sink dramas. People wanted truth, social realism was the only way they could get it, so these were the films of the people. Saturday Night and Sunday Morning was adapted from Alan Sillitoe’s 1958 novel, about a young headstrong machinist called Arthur who works hard during the week and spends his weekends (and his week’s wages) on heavy drinking while having an affair with his colleague’s wife. The opening dialogue is brutal honesty and still has an impact, all these years later. Arthur rebels as much as possible, often with his targets (the elders) unaware of his actions. Arthur sees the oppression enforced and accepted by the older generation and has clear views against them. Arthur probably represented a whole generation of working class youth in a post-war Britain, still living in the shadow of war, desperate to carve out a road for themselves amidst the grimy red brick industrial towns of the north of England. Every film making country had their version, their stand-out new wave tale of the frustrations of youth and in the UK we had quite a few, Saturday Night and Sunday Morning being one of the best and most authentic. Alfie is the film that most people remember and the one that went global, but Saturday Night and Sunday Morning is the truth and has since supposed Alfie as becoming the most iconic. While Alfie plundered through life, Arthur works hard but is determined not to be tied down to living a life of domestic drudgery like the people around him, including his parents, whom he describes as "dead from the neck up". However, as he spends his wages at weekends on drinking and having a good time he is blindly conforming to some degree. Arthur is having an affair with Brenda, the wife of an older colleague. He also begins a more traditional relationship with Doreen, a beautiful single woman closer to his age. Doreen, who lives with her mother and aspires to be married, avoids Arthur's sexual advances, so he continues to see Brenda as a sexual outlet. Brenda becomes pregnant by Arthur, and demands his help in terminating the unwanted pregnancy (abortion was still illegal in 1960). Arthur takes her to see his Aunt Ada for advice; when his aunt's method of having Brenda sit in a hot bath and drink gin does not work, Arthur provides Brenda with the name of a doctor who performs illegal abortions. However, Brenda decides that she will keep the child after all, and suffer the consequences. Brenda's husband Jack finds out about her pregnancy and her affair with Arthur, and enlists the help of his brother and a fellow soldier to chase Arthur down through a fairground (where he has taken Doreen on a date) and give him a severe beating. Arthur is trapped on a dodgem ride as the two soldiers menacingly stand and wait for him. When he escapes the ride, he is caught and beaten. Arthur spends a week recovering and is visited by Doreen, who out of sympathy, sleeps with him. After recovering, Arthur returns to work, and realises his affair with Brenda is finished after her husband tells him to stay away from her as he can live with brining up a child that is not his own, if it means his wife stays with him. Arthur decides to marry Doreen and the film ends with Arthur and Doreen discussing the prospect of a new home together, with Arthur showing that he still has mixed feelings about settling down into domestic life as it means he will be conforming, just as his parents did and what he said he’d always rebel against. It’s an old story, each generation of youth have their version but never before was it laid out as bare as this. I believe Albert Finney’s portrayal of Arthur is still the best performance of his career, an iconic character of British cinema. Rachael Roberts was also brilliant as the bored housewife, having an affair with a much younger man and character that had not really been explored before then. This was the first time a British film had explored sex and abortion with such gritty realism, it might as well have been the first and indeed it was the first to suggest extra-marital sex, causing the film to receive a X-rating. It was met with great criticism due to its controversial nature but also made a huge profit for the same reason. It was praised by the many and broke down many a barrier for young film makers. It was hugely popular in the 60s and has had something of a revival in recent years, although it has regularly appeared in popular culture in each decade since it was made. Arthur and the film have been referenced in quite a few songs over the years; The Smiths mention him in 1986 single The Queen is Dead (Morrissey also commented that it was his favourite film), Madness used the title of the song for one of theirs in 1999 as did The Stranglers in 1993, The Kinks and The Pale Fountains have sampled lines from the film, Franz Ferdinand used many elements in their video and in the marketing for their 2013 single Right Action and The Arctic Monkeys took the line ‘Whatever people say I am, That’s what I’m not’ for the title of their bestselling debut album. The Arctic Monkeys have stated that most of the songs were influenced by Arthur and every aspect of their work has a bit of Saturday Night and Sunday Morning in it, which revived the film somewhat in the 00s. It frequently appears on ‘Top’ and ‘1000 films to see before you die’ lists and is considered a bona fide classic, which it is. When the intimidatingly titled ‘Legion of Decency’ refuse a film (in the USA) and Dudley Moore plays the soundtrack you know you’re onto a winner. To think that Peter O’Toole nearly played the lead role and that Diana Dors nearly played Brenda is unthinkable.