Caught the Karel Reisz movie Saturday Night Sunday Morning (1960), based on Alan Sillitoe's 1959 novel of the same name. Watching it ushered in a lot of memories about working in London and visiting Nottingham, where the film is set.
Saturday Night Sunday Morning gives a window on factory work and to a somewhat dilapidated post-WWII England. It also reminds me of a slew of other movies, books, and musical treatments of the same social spaces, especially by the Kinks in albums like Face to Face (1966) and Arthur Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire (1969), but also by the Rolling Stones, the Beatles and the Who around the same time. They all work together nicely as a cultural achievement.
In addition to Albert Finney, who turns in a fierce performance as Arthur, Saturday Night Sunday Morning also features a cool one by Shirley Anne Field as Doreen/Dorrie.
Ms. Field (pictured again here with a different style) in turn reminds of Charlotte Rampling (who later played another Dorrie -- in Woody Allen's Stardust Memories, 1980, which was also, like Saturday Night Sunday Morning, shot in black and white).
Ms. Rampling leaps out of the frame as Meredith, in Georgy Girl (1966). Which also reminds of Alfie (1966), starring Michael Caine and features another appearance by Shirley Anne Field (as Carla).
Ah, those insightful British. Some notable British TV series cover a portion of the same ground with a sometimes darkly comic twist: for example, Keeping Up Appearances, Fawlty Towers, Absolutely Fabulous, and Are You Being Served? Indeed.
Today's Rune: Flow.
5 comments:
is this one of the british kitchen sink dramas like look back in anger, room at the top and a taste of honey?
Some definitely pretty women.
This film, I remember the phrase “Whatever people say I am, that’s what I am not!”, of Arthur Seaton, personage of Albert Finney. The first image of the film is emblematic: plan-generality of the interior of the plant, great depth of field, oppression and homogeneity of the industrial environment, sound of the machines, the evidentes dirt and hopelessness each time to the measure that the camera approaches to Arthur, that makes its account in narration-off of parts produced in the day. The film makes a atemporal social picture. How are you, Erik? Beijus
Erik, Have only seen "Alfie", way back in the day. I agree with Charles--those women were gorgeous!
Thanks all for the comments! DC, yes, indeed. Charles & Jodi, nice sense of style, eh? Luma, exactly right on. I'm well, thanks!
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