357. Saturday Night and Sunday Morning (1960)

Directed By Karl Reisz

Synopsis

Arthur lives a grim life in grim Nottingham, dances, drinks and screws 'cause there's nothing else to do.

Review

Taking into account the fact that this film is 49 years old it is amazing how little things have changed in a certain area of the UK, among the majority of people. The pub as the central point in a life where it is the main means of escape from a crap job or, after Thatcher, no job.

The influence of the French new wave is more than evident throughout the film, the camera work is quite great, very fluid. The acting style is pretty realistic, with Albert Finney doing a bang up job in his starring début.

The use of regional accents gives it all an extra sense of realism, and here we see the beginning of the great British tradition of social-realist cinema. There is not much of a plot to it, just an accurate portrayal of crappy life. It's grim up north.

Final Grade

9/10

Trivia

From Wikipedia:

The film is the origin for the title of the debut album, Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not of Sheffield rock band Arctic Monkeys. It is also the origin for the title of the live album Saturday Night, Sunday Morning by The Stranglers.

Trailer: