Overview
A gritty portrayal of love and ambition amidst the struggles of working-class life in 1960s England.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Mild
- abrasive
- restless
- witty
- classic cinema night
- british new wave marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly regard the film as a forceful, authentic, and influential portrait of working class frustration, elevated by Albert Finney's performance and naturalistic direction.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The film observes Arthur's factory work, pub culture, cramped domestic life, and sexual conflicts in an unsentimental Nottingham setting.
Arthur Seaton treats his factory job, romantic commitments, and social expectations with defiant contempt, embodying the period's rebellious male figure.
Arthur spends the week in mindless factory labor for modest wages and seeks release through drinking, sex, and weekend freedom.
Factory floors, pubs, and working class domestic spaces frame the characters' conflicts with observational naturalism.
Films like Saturday Night and Sunday Morning, and why
The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner
shared kitchen sink realism, working class alienation, sexual restlessness, and a rebellious young male protagonist
A Taste of Honey
shared british new wave realism, class tension, volatile romance, and emotionally abrasive antiheroes
Look Back in Anger
shared kitchen sink drama, northern working class setting, naturalistic performances, and frustrated young adulthood
Kes
shared social realism, industrial england, masculine resentment, and intimate domestic conflict
Movie Details
- Director
- Karel Reisz
- Release Date
- 1960-10-27
- Runtime
- 90 min
- Rating
- 7.0 / 10 (162)
Cast
- Albert Finney
- Shirley Anne Field
- Rachel Roberts
- Hylda Baker
- Norman Rossington
- Bryan Pringle
- Robert Cawdron
- Avis Bunnage
- Colin Blakely
- Peter Madden
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Criterion Channel
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Saturday Night and Sunday Morning about?
- A defiant Nottingham factory worker pursues weekend pleasure and overlapping romances while resisting the responsibilities of working class adulthood.
- What is Saturday Night and Sunday Morning like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Saturday Night and Sunday Morning as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Saturday Night and Sunday Morning violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Saturday Night and Sunday Morning as mild.
- What did critics think of Saturday Night and Sunday Morning?
- Critics broadly regard the film as a forceful, authentic, and influential portrait of working class frustration, elevated by Albert Finney's performance and naturalistic direction.
- Which films are like Saturday Night and Sunday Morning?
- Films with a similar feel include The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner, A Taste of Honey, Look Back in Anger, and Kes.
- How long is Saturday Night and Sunday Morning?
- Saturday Night and Sunday Morning runs 90 minutes.
- Where can I watch Saturday Night and Sunday Morning?
- In United States, Saturday Night and Sunday Morning streams on Criterion Channel.
