UK 1960 English (B&W); Drama (Woodfall); 89 minutes (PG certificate)Crew includes: Karel Reisz (Director); Alan Sillitoe (Screenwriter, adapting his Novel); Tony Richardson (Producer)Cast includes: Albert Finney, Shirley Anne Field, Rachel Roberts, Hylda BakerBAFTA Awards (3): British Film, British Actress (Roberts), Most Promising Newcomer (Finney)A hard-living factory worker (Finney), out for a good time, pursues a chaste single girl (Field), while maintaining an affair with an older, married woman (Roberts).Gritty, once-controversial kitchen sink drama, notable for Finney's first starring role and working-class hero being less "angry" and more hedonistic than others that emerged from the British New Wave.

Saturday Night and Sunday Morning is another of the 'kitchen sink' dramas that were all the rage at the turn of the 1960s, and it's also an 'angry young man' film to boot. Albert Finney takes the lead role of a maladjusted young bloke who's got two women on the go at the same time; one of them is an older unhappily married woman and the other is more his age. There are definite shades of ROOM AT THE TOP in this premise but the film has a character all of its own.I find films like this invaluable these days for their insight into working class life during the era. A grimy and industrial Nottingham is brought to vibrant life here and if Finney isn't a very likable character at all then at least he's thoroughly entertaining throughout. A decent supporting cast keep the atmosphere of realism going, and the production has a good sense of pace. I found the ending a little lacklustre but otherwise this is decent stuff.

Saturday NIGHT AND Sunday MORNING is a drama about a young and rebellious machinists, who shows a form of self-destructive behavior. Film is an adaptation of the 1958 novel of the same name by Alan Sillitoe.The main protagonist is a tough and robust worker at a Nottingham factory. He has a rebellious and somewhat cheeky attitude toward the lives of people around him. He is a diligent worker, but he spends his wages at weekends on drinking and having a good time. A wife of his older colleague is a his "pastime" during the weekend. However, he begins a more normal relationship with a beautiful single woman closer to his age. Problems start when his older mistress gets pregnant and demands his help in terminating the unwanted pregnancy...The main protagonist is a grouchy and skeptical young man. This is perhaps a disease of a young working class in industrial zones and traditional societies. The courage and dignity are, in some way, shaken in this film. Such relations seem impressive in an explicit and intimate story. A young man is faced with life's temptations. A solid relationship between people does not exist in this movie. It all boils down to a simple pleasure, as a form of escape from the loneliness and frustration. The word, responsibility, becomes very important.Albert Finney as Arthur Seaton is an unrealized hothead, which further emphasizes the rebellion in his character. Rachel Roberts as Brenda is a tragic character. In addition to her arrogance and shameless sexual relationship, Brenda is a reflection of an unfortunate women in a failed marriage.Shirley Anne Field (Doreen) is a quiet and beautiful girl, who is ready for marriage. Norman Rossington (Bert) is Arthur's faithful companion and sincere friend. Bryan Pringle (Jack) is a quite reserved Brenda's husband.Mr. Reisz has managed to make a credible drama based on realistic life situations in which there are no winners or losers.

a slice of brit life, 1960 and a bit before (club bands in jackets and ties, still); great finney, great screenplay (and loneliness of long distance runner), good rachel roberts but finny early 20s, she mid 30s and looking mid 40s, so as arthur's love interest has you wondering at the start; but that's part of it, a coworkers wife, easy to do, and another way of showing his contempt for family and getting ahead-all propaganda; on the other hand he gives money to his family, buy yourself something; the bleakness, work then play and drink, is tail end of the gin age (good book called gin on the history) when workers were 6 days a week, 10 or more hours a day, dickensian, and one day to get as blasted as possible- to forget it all; weak link is heralded director with one very not new-wave static shot after another; good part, movie wise, is there's no artifice; actors are all in, no later frills like alfie turning to the camera letting us in on his cynicism- like we didn't get that already; so a 7? not a great story; a humdrum story very well done