This was the first ever written of these discussion sheets in October 1969 - the style and amplification has increased over the decades.

SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY MORNING

US, 1961, 89 minutes, Black and white.
Albert Finney, Shirley Anne Field, Rachel Roberts.
Directed by Karel Reisz.

Saturday Night and Sunday Morning, based on a novel by Alan Sillitoe, was produced during the early sixties, at the height of the 'kitchen sink’ dramas. John Osborne began the outcry against smug and mindless society and its drawing-room drama with Look Back in Anger (1956). The Establishment was the target of the continuing protest along with the growing industrialisation of our environment. Once more the intention was to show things as they are, the work, poverty, sweat and sins. Tony Richardson directed some of Osborne's work: Look Back in Anger, The Entertainer; he produced this film.

Set in a provincial industrial city, the film shows the hum-drum work-life of Arthur Seaton and the weekend getting away from it all in drinking, brawling and having an affair with another man's wife. Arthur's irresponsibility is looked at in the dreary industrial environment, two testing factors are his falling in love with a local girl and the pregnancy of his mistress.

The film is a well-acted character study of Arthur, but it is also notable for its evocation of the mood and atmosphere of an industrial city and the life and interests of its people. It serves as telling comment on contemporary Britain and the attitudes and values of its working-class.

1. How typical is Arthur Seaton of the young factory worker in the English environment?

2. Is he an exception?

3. How typical would he be of his counterpart in other countries?

4. How likeable is he?

5. Would you say that he is an 'outsider'?

6. What are his values?
- he talks about 'having a good times, everything else is propaganda'.
- he continually asserts that he'll get by. Does he like other people?

7. What are his standards? Would you say that he knows right from wrong?

8. Has he a chip on his shoulder? If you think he has, then why has he?

9. Could he be accurately described as 'despairing'? Why?

10. What hopes or attritions did he have?

11. What effect did the film have on you through its presentation of a way of life that is work all week, with weekends that mean alcohol, sex, and throwing your weight around?

12. Discuss Arthur's attitudes to Brenda's wanting an abortion and then wanting to keep the child.

13. Arthur is cheeky, spiteful, childish, says loony laws are to be broken, snarls at all those who want 'to grind you down'. How typical are his views of life and attitudes today? Of your attitudes? Of those you live or work with?