Saturday Night and Sunday Morning Review

Saturday Night and Sunday Morning is a prime example of the late '50s/early '60s "Angry Young Man" genre, which also includes such classics as Look Back in Anger and The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner. The first film directed by Karel Reisz (Morgan, The French Lieutenant's Woman), it was produced by Tony Richardson, from a screenplay by working class author Alan Sillitoe, based upon his novel. In a breakthrough performance, Albert Finney plays Arthur Seaton, a charming rogue - make that complete bastard - in a North Country town who works in a factory all week and gets his kicks on the weekend.

These kicks include countless pints of brown ale and an affair with the wife of a co-worker.  Rachel Roberts gives a fine performance as Arthur's married shack-up who finds herself pregnant thanks to Arthur's carelessness. The lovely Shirley Ann Field plays Doreen, the younger, prettier girl who catches Arthur's fancy. Also in the cast is Norman Rossington as Bert, Arthur's best friend, who is now best known for his role as the Beatles' manager in A Hard Day's Night.

While on the surface, the story concerns the end of Arthur's carefree womanizing, it is really about the lack of opportunities in post-war British working class life.

Even if his character doesn't grow any wiser over the course of the film, Finney's magnetic performance more than makes up for his character's lack of growth.

Available on DVD from MGM Home Video.