Saturday Night Sunday Morning Narrative by Dee Watson on Scribd
Historical context
1958: The European Economic Community (Common Market) starts operation.
The birth of Rock and Roll, which resulted in the emergence of clubs. Jerry Lee Lewis’s Great Balls of Firereaches no 1 in the US charts.
Women’s rights were still limited, but this was to change over the coming decade.
Marie Stopes, a campaigner for women’s rights, dies, aged 69.
The first man-made nuclear fusion was created.
The class divide was still very prominent and strong.
Labour were in government.
Queen Elizabeth II had only recently been crowned.
The idea of a new age had begun.
Arthur Seaton played by Albert Finney
Synopsis:
One of the first ‘Kitchen Sink’ Dramas made by the British ‘New Wave’ of cinema in the early 1960s. Dealing mainly with social inequality and the plight of the working class man who appears trapped within a world of work, sleep and little else. Struggling to break away from a world which allows no choice, Arthur is an anti hero who won’t be tied down; he refuses to accept a life that promises nothing more than a steady job working in a factory.
Filmed by New Wave director Karel Riesz (1960)
The film centres around a 22 year old called Athur Seaton. who works in a bicycle factory in Nottingham, faced with a working class existence of work, marriage and death, and is determined not to be dragged into what he sees as a mindless world where 'you're dead from the neck up'.
He has an affair with a married neighbour's wife (Brenda), shoots an air rifle at a local gossip, puts a dead rat in the food trolley and beats the local Sailor in a drinking game - he's the quintessential rebel: "Whatever people say I am that's exactly what I'm not'; Arthur has become an iconic character for every rebel in society, from Punk's Sex Pistols to the Arctic Monkeys. The film also heralded the 'Angry Young Man' as the post war generation realising they were no longer growing up in an idealistic society - the old class barriers had come down again and they were being forced to work in the same mundane jobs without any real chance of genuine choice or upward progress - this was the 'glass ceiling' which might be said to still exist today.
The 'Angry Young Man' could also be seen in such films as 'Look Back in Anger', The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner - also commonly known as 'Kitchen Sink Dramas' due to their emphasis on social comment commonly set around the cramped environment of the kitchen sink/living room of the tenement block.
Arthur eventually has to face up to the consequences of his actions when he gets Brenda pregnant, and here we see the historical impact of the film as there is no contraception available to the female in 1960 (the pill was available in limited supply from 1963 and abortion wasn't legalised until 1968), so Brenda in 1960 is faced with a child with another man whilst married to another - in these times she would be a social outcast.
Arthur eventually settles with Doreen - who suspects his activities but decides to accept him anyway - he accepts that if he is to marry her he'll have to get a house and join the society he so very much despises. His throwing of a stone suggests he will continue to have the rebelious instinct - but will it threaten the marriage or just be the odd drinking binge?
The film addresses the decisions every youth has to make as they progress through teenage and into adulthood - society seems to offer very little but drudgery; can they continue to rebel for ever?
Key Information:
From the early to mid-1950s the ‘social problem’ type of film emerged within British cinema which aimed to explore realist issues within contemporary British society such as youth, gender and sexuality. But as Samantha Lay states, these issues were primarily explored as ‘problems’ within society (Lay, 2002:56). The contemporary social issues that were explored within film labelled them as social realist and were more often than not influenced by ideological beliefs and attitudes of the time (ibid). Moreover, social realist films employed stylistic conventions seen within documentaries namely the use of location filming which ties the British new wave genre to the documentary movement (Leach, 2004:53). More importantly however, social realist films aimed to explore the reality of the working class through their living conditions, language and aspirations all of which examined the changing nature of society and ultimately paved the way for the era of the British new wave film genre(Christopher, 1999:83). As cited by Lay, British new wave film directors actively sought out to represent the working classes; a group within society that was marginalised within British cinema (Lay, 2002:58). Moreover, this ‘new’ representation of the working classes led to increased creativity within British cinema that brought immediacy and social awareness to a previously marginalised group.
1950’s - Britain
becoming an increasingly affluent society. Prime Minister Harold Macmillan’s proclamation that ‘most of our people have never had it so good’ (Hill, 1986:5). Americanized consumer culture swept into Britain and the new wave films tapped into the effects consumerism had on the working-classes. Terry Lovell communicates the notion that the working-classes viewed consumerism with apprehension and writes that ‘the ties of community were... being broken’ and ‘modern mass-produced (and shoddy) goods were offering new aspirations, new temptations’ giving sense to the view that the working-classes were in fear of the eradication of tradition and sense of community (Lovell, 1990:359).
Andrew Spicer writes that in post-war British culture, males who are at odds with the dominant middle-class ideology of traditional and traditional values are deemed to be ‘rebels’ (Spicer, 2003:145). The ‘angry young man’ archetype arose from those that were against the establishment and the toughness that came from the angered males represented traditional northern working-class culture defined as a physical world of hard labour (ibid, 151). Saturday Night and Sunday Morningreflected this attribute of ‘hard’ northern working-class culture with the principal character of Arthur Seaton.
Opening scene
· The booming sounds of the heavy machinery in the opening scene and Arthur’s rugged and grubby appearance completely defines the film as a working class film. Through the use of voiceover, Arthur surveys his work colleagues and bemoans that they are ground down and want to ‘get on’ in their job. Arthur refuses to be ground down by the establishment in which he says ‘don’t let the bastards grind you down’ and ‘I’d like to see anybody try to grind me down. That’d be the day. What I’m out for is a good time. All the rest is propaganda.’ This is symbolised during Arthur’s night out at the beginning of the film when he wins a drinking contest with an old sailor, gets extremely drunk and falls down the stairs with a grin on his face showing that Arthur is happy when he is out having a good time.
· When Arthur changes from his scruffy work clothes to his smart suit ready to go for a night out he playfully puts his jacket on and walks out of the house with a swagger. The juxtaposition of the medium shot of the backs of the terraced houses and Arthur walking with a swagger in a pristine suit houses suggests that he is almost too big for his surroundingswhich is highlighted by Arthur nudging his neighbour Mrs Bull out of the way.
· Moreover, Arthur’s hatred towards Mrs Bull can be seen as disturbing. He calls her ‘a bitch and a whore’ suggesting extreme antagonism towards the older generation. This is another example of Arthur’s rebellious nature and clearly shows that he is disrespectful and has no time for the older generation as they represent tradition.
· However, Arthur is clearly at odds with the newfound mass culture which is demonstrated through Arthur’s relationship with his father – ‘passive’ thanks to the television set and is clearly immersed with the television . Arthur is bitter towards his father’s ‘passiveness’ and declares his parents to be ‘both dead from the neck up’ and they are ‘like a lot of sheep’ in regards to the consumerism which is heightened with Arthur wanting to be a free spirit and not ground down by tradition .
· One important aspect of Arthur’s character is that he is sexually active - affair with Brenda who is married to Jack and is unfazed by the consequences of his affair.
· When Arthur is beaten up by two soldiers he struggles to stand up and eventually falls to the ground in a bloodied state. He then recovers in bed appearing to be ground down but is still unfazed - I’m me and nobody else’ asserting that he will be true to himself.
· Nevertheless, the final scene of the film shows Arthur to be caught between rebellion and being ‘ground down’ as he look down on a new housing estate with girlfriend Doreen where she hopes they will live once they are married. In a final piece of rebellion, and much to Doreen’s angst, Arthur throws a stone at a billboard saying ‘it won’t be the last one I’ll throw’ which is open to several readings. On one hand Arthur still wishes to be independent but yet the symbolism of Arthur throwing the stone suggests that he is still bitter towards consumerism and aspects of modernity proving that there is still recklessness in spite of him being ‘ground down’.
Men
Jack, Vs. Arthur Firstly, it is clear that Jack is of a different nature to Arthur. Jack’s appearance is conservative whereas Arthur is scruffy and unkempt. Moreover, as described by Arthur, Jack ‘wants to get on’ and this is exemplified through Arthur’s sarcasm towards Jack’s ability to get on with his job without any fuss. Also, there is a clear sense of affluence projected within Jack through the means of transport during the opening credits; Jack has a motorbike and sidecar while Arthur has an ordinary bicycle highlighting that Jack is more well off than Arthur but also shows that being ‘ground down’ has its benefits money wise. Jean Welsh suggests a clash of ages between Arthur and Jack making reference to the way Jack is physically positioned on his motorbike thus appearing to be ‘ground down’ on his motorbike (Welsh, 2008:101). But most importantly, Jack is confirmed to be ‘ground down’ as he is happily married to Brenda and has a child with her thus conforming to traditional values that Arthur opposes. In regards to the affair between Arthur and Brenda, Jack’s masculinity is seen to be threatened resulting in Jack slapping Brenda across the face at the funfair. It can be argued that Brenda regards Jack as a dissatisfying husband as Arthur’s clear sense of fun seems to resonate with Brenda and suggests that Brenda seeks to escape her ‘ground down’ life with Jack. In regards to the nature of masculine identity, it is clear that Saturday Night and Sunday Morning shows concern with the nature of masculinity and with analysis of both Arthur and Jack the film shows concern, and offers a critique, of males being both rebellious and traditional.
Class
Alan Sillitoe, author of Saturday Night and Sunday Morning, he was angry about the class system within Britain and also social concern (Cooke, 2014). In turn, the social realist film made extensive use of the regional accent which can be linked to notions of class.
Shirley-Anne Field who played Doreenin Saturday Night and Sunday Morning remarked that she felt she had to appear ‘southern’ in order to achieve her role within the film. However, producer Tony Richardson demanded that she spoke with a ‘northern voice’ suggesting that social realist films aimed to address class concerns.
Delaney criticises the newly built housing estates, saying that tradition is being eradicated for modernity and that the new housing estates are ‘sterile’ where ‘nobody knows anyone’ showing the fragmentation of neighbourliness which causes ‘restlessness’ among people highlighting social concern.
Men within the social realist film were more often than not represented as rebellious with no respect for authority or tradition. In particular, Arthur Seaton in Saturday Night and Sunday Morning refused to be ‘ground down’ by authority and sought out the chance to have fun through brawling or getting drunk. By examining the ‘angry young man’ archetype, it has established that consumerism angered Arthur in which he describes his parents to be ‘dead from the neck up’ as his father is immersed with the television set highlighting that rebellious males refused to conform to consumerism. However, it is apparent that social realist films of the 1960s were concerned with class; a notion that is exemplified within Arthur’s refusal to conform to consumerism. Moreover, by exploring A Taste of Honey, it is clear that as a whole social realist films of the 1960s were concerned with class as well as gender identities. Through lingering shots of terraced housing and also representation of real life in both Saturday Night and Sunday Morning one can argue that social realist films offered an education in relation to class.
Characters:
Jack - ridiculed by Arthur as he appears a 'yes man' - always does what he's told and works extra hours to keep the family going; he later emerges as cowardly and hits his wife - unable to confront Arthur directly he gets his brother
to beat him up.
Brenda - wife of Jack and having an affair with Arthur; has to deal with a young child whilst suffering an illegitimate pregnancy and attempted illegal abortion; she represents the
a woman of the late 1950s faced with the dilemma of birth control in a pre-pill pre-feminist world, where the man is able to walk away whilst the woman is left 'holding the baby'.
Doreen - She reacts to Arthur with caution, flirting but at the same time aware of his motives. She is also constrained by an overly protective Mother and suspects Arthur of telling lies when explaining his whereabouts; but at the same time she is able to make an informed choice about Arthur, perhaps she thinks she can change him, or accepts an element of give and take, realistically considering love and how it can be maintained. Arthur and Brenda don't think about the future, but Doreen does; in the end she might be considered the eventual catalyst for a change in Arthur. Doreen in Saturday Night and Sunday Morningarguably harbours middle class aspirations. Doreen dresses glamorously and has a steady job working in a hairnet factory. But more importantly, Doreen wants to get married and dreams of owning a newly built house with all mod cons.
The backdrop of Nottingham's factories - a mise en scene that captures Arthur's dilemma - will he ever beat this world of industrial mechanisation that forces him to conform?
Genre: Kitchen Sink Drama - focus is on social issues rather than painting England as an idealistic society populated largely by the upper classes.
to beat him up.
a woman of the late 1950s faced with the dilemma of birth control in a pre-pill pre-feminist world, where the man is able to walk away whilst the woman is left 'holding the baby'.
Genre: Kitchen Sink Drama - focus is on social issues rather than painting England as an idealistic society populated largely by the upper classes.
Narrative: Chronological, linear narrative; in other words the progress of the plot is the same as it would be experienced - no flashbacks or substantial jumping ahead.
Representation: Women's position in society - very much entrapped by the lack of birth control, social stigma regarding illegitimate birth and lack of available abortion.
Men, on the other hand, were expected to be the providers, although they could rebel and question their society, jumping off the merry-go-round to leave the woman 'holding the baby' when times got awkward. But on the whole their role was also heavily confined to work, eat and sleep, with the occasional pint on a Friday night. Men at this time tended to see their identity through their job, unemployment wasn't an option.
Industry: Woodfall films - a relatively small UK based firm competing with US dominance; it made several films of a similar genre - 'Look Back in Anger' and 'The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner' before going on to produce one of the most famous social realist films of all time 'Kes'. It suffered problems with its release in America due to the Legion of Decency refusing to give it a certificate.
BAFTA award for best film (1961)
Box Office
Budget:
£100,000 (estimated)
Gross
£600,000 (UK) (January 1970)
Watch the scene below (Youtube clip) What does this scene below tell us?
1: How do Arthur and his mate initially react to the window smasher?
2: Why do they change their minds?
3: Why do think the man smashes the window?
4: What does this scene say about 1960s Britain?
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