Saturday Night and Sunday Morning (1960)

Albert Finney: Arthur Seaton

Photos 

Quotes 

• Arthur Seaton : Mam called me barmy when I told her I fell of a gasometer for a bet. But I'm not barmy, I'm a fighting pit prop that wants a pint of beer, that's me. But if any knowing bastard says that's me I'll tell them I'm a dynamite dealer waiting to blow the factory to kingdom come. I'm me and nobody else. Whatever people say I am, that's what I'm not because they don't know a bloody thing about me! God knows what I am.

• Arthur Seaton : Don't let the bastards grind you down!

• Arthur Seaton : What I'm out for is a good time - all the rest is propaganda!

• Arthur Seaton : They have a television set and a packet of fags, but they're both dead from the neck up.

• Arthur Seaton : Look I'll go and see me Aunt Ada, she'll know what to do, she's had 14 kids of her own and I'm sure she's got rid of as many others.

• [last lines - Arthur throws a stone at the builder's shed on a new housing estate] 

  Doreen : What did you do that for?

  Arthur Seaton : I don't know, just felt like it I suppose.

  Doreen : Maybe one of those houses will be for us.

  Arthur Seaton : I know.

  Doreen : You shouldn't throw things like that.

  Arthur Seaton : It won't be the last one I'll throw. C'mon duck, let's go down!

• Doreen : Sharp, ain't he.

  Arthur Seaton : Is it somebody's birthday?

  Doreen : It's Mum's anniversary if you want to know.

  Arthur Seaton : I can't see your dad.

  Doreen : That's because he's not there.

  Arthur Seaton : Well, is he coming?

  Doreen : I shouldn't think so, he left her 15 years ago today and she's just having a drink on it.

  Arthur Seaton : [laughs] 

  Doreen : Well I'm glad someone thinks it's funny.

• Arthur Seaton : What do you do in the week Doreen, do you ever go to pictures?

  Doreen : Only on Wednesday, why?

  Arthur Seaton : That's funny, I go on Wednesday n'all. Which one you go to?

  Doreen : The Granby, as a rule

  Arthur Seaton : I'll see you next Wednesday then at 7.

  Doreen : Fast worker aren't you. All right, but not on the back row.

• Arthur Seaton : What's your name then duck?

  Doreen : Doreen, rotten name ain't it.

  Arthur Seaton : What's wrong with it? Mine's Arthur, neither of them's up to much but it's not our fault, is it.

• Arthur Seaton : What's the matter with you tonight?

  Brenda : I'll tell you what's the matter with me Arthur, I'm pregnant, good and proper this time - and it's your fault.

  Arthur Seaton : Oh aye, it's bound to be my fault isn't it.

  Brenda : Well of course it is, you never take care, you just don't bother, always said this would happen one day.

  Arthur Seaton : What a wonderful Friday night.

• [first lines] 

  Arthur Seaton : Nine hundred and fifty four, nine hundred and fifty bloody five. Another few more and that's the lot for a Friday.

• Arthur Seaton : I'll have a fag in a bit, no use working every minute God sends. I could get through in half the time if I went like a bull, but they'd only slash my wages so they can get stuffed!

• Bert : I noticed that girl myself this morning, smashing bit of stuff. I shouldn't think she'd want aught to do with a madhead like you though.

  Arthur Seaton : They all want a good time you can bet.

• Arthur Seaton : Brother home for long?

  Jack : Fortnight. There's one thing about him though, you know, he'll always help me if I'm in any sort of trouble. If anyone does aught against me, I can always rely on him. I was with him and his pal once and we set on a bloke... I never want to do aught like that again.

  Arthur Seaton : Aye but people like that should be careful though, never to pick on the wrong bloke. I saw a fight like that once, this was with two soldiers an' all. They set on to a bloke and he wiped the floor with the both of them. It was horrible, blood all over the place, I had to turn me 'ead away.

• Arthur Seaton : It's not the first time that bastard's called me a red though. Not that I wouldn't vote communist if I thought it would get rid of blokes like him.

• Arthur Seaton : That's what all these looney laws are for, to be broken by blokes like us.

  Arthur Seaton : You might cop it one of these days.

• Brenda : Of all the liars, you're the biggest I've ever known.

  Arthur Seaton : I always was a liar, a good 'un and all.

  Brenda : Liars don't prosper.

• Brenda : Hey Arthur, what a time we had last night.

  Arthur Seaton : It seems years... aye you're lovely Brenda.

• Arthur Seaton : Pour us some more tea duck, it's thirsty work falling down stairs.

  Brenda : Two ain't it.

  Arthur Seaton : You're good to me Brenda, love, and don't think I don't appreciate it.

• Arthur Seaton : I dunno, work next week. I'll be hard at it, sweating me guts out at that lathe. It's a hard life if you don't weaken.

• Arthur Seaton : How's Johnny getting on in Australia?

  Aunt Ada : Well you know Arthur, I reckon Johnny's a lot better off out there, he never did well in this country, did he.

  Arthur Seaton : No, he always was a good worker though, I know that.

• Aunt Ada : Them was rotten days.

  Arthur Seaton : I know, it won't happen again though, I can tell you that.

  Bert : I was talking to a bloke the other day at the pit, he's always going on you know 'you can't beat the good old days'. So I got 'old of me pick and I said to him - 'you tell me anything else about them good old days as you call them and I'll split your stupid head open' - I would too.

• Arthur Seaton : I take a tip from the fishes, never bite unless the bait's good. I won't get married till I'm good and ready.

• Aunt Ada : Look at him, he can't take his eyes off that young girl over there.

  Arthur Seaton : Not me, I'm courting already. I was looking at the calendar.

  Aunt Ada : I believe you.

• Doreen : What's that black stuff you're drinking, it looks like treacle.

  Arthur Seaton : Beer and stout, try a drop.

  Doreen : No thanks, I think I tasted it once but it was horrible.

  Arthur Seaton : Well, I'm not a boozer either but I'm going fishing this afternoon and I like a drop beforehand.

• Arthur Seaton : Where do you work then Doreen?

  Doreen : Me? Harrison's, the hairnet factory, I've been there ever since I left school.

• Arthur Seaton : It costs too much to get married, a lump sum down and your wages a week for life.

  Bert : Most blokes ain't got aught else to work for, have they?

  Arthur Seaton : No. I have though. I work for the factory, the income tax and the insurance already, that's enough for a bit. They rob you right, left and centre. After they've skinned you dry you get called up to the army and get shot to death.

  Bert : That's how things are Arthur, no good going crackers over it. All you can do is go on working and hope that some day something good will turn up.

• Brenda : Yes, yes it's yours right enough. Haven't done aught like that with Jack for a couple of months or more - and I don't want to have it I can tell you that now!

  Arthur Seaton : Have you tried aught, took aught I mean.

  Brenda : Yes, some pills, they didn't work. 30 bob they cost me too, gone right down the drain.

  Arthur Seaton : God almighty.

  Brenda : He won't help you.

• Brenda : What do you think having a kid means? You're doped and sick for 9 months, your clothes don't fit, nobody will look at you. One day you're yelling out and you've got a kid. That's not so bad but you've got to look after it for the rest of its life. You want to try it sometime.

  Arthur Seaton : Well if that's how you feel.

  Brenda : How do you expect me to feel?

• Bert : Did you get anywhere?

  Arthur Seaton : No, you?

  Bert : Nah, that Betty's barmy, she wouldn't let me get near her. Tell you, you've got to marry them these days before you get aught.

  Arthur Seaton : Not if they're already married.

• Arthur Seaton : I thought I'd come and see you, I'm a bit worried about something.

  Aunt Ada : Why, what would a good-looking chap like you have to worry about?

  Arthur Seaton : It's not that I'm worried Aunt Ada, I never worry - you know that. But it's this mate of mine at work, he's got a young woman in trouble and he don't know what to do about it.

  Aunt Ada : That's a daft thing to do, couldn't he have been a bit more careful? Well he'll just have to face the music like our Dave did. Give me that kettle.

  Arthur Seaton : But isn't there something as can be done, I mean sometimes people get rid of it by taking things don't they?

  Aunt Ada : What do you know about that?

  Arthur Seaton : I read about it in Sunday papers.

• Mrs. Bull : I'll clout you one of these days!

  Arthur Seaton : Ta'ra fatty.

• Aunt Ada : It's you, in't it, it's you as is in trouble.

  Arthur Seaton : Well it is if you want to know

  Aunt Ada : I once knew a woman who got sent to prison for doing something like that. I'm sure I don't know what to tell you.

  Arthur Seaton : I thought you'd be able to help me.

  Aunt Ada : Thougth I'd be able to help you just like that. You brainless loon, you ought to have more bloody sense, can't expect to get out of fixes as easy as that.

  Arthur Seaton : I've got nobody else to turn to.

  Aunt Ada : Why don't you marry her if she's a nice girl.

  Arthur Seaton : She's already married.

  Aunt Ada : You are in a bloody fix aren't you.

• Brenda : Having a good time?

  Arthur Seaton : Not bad, I'm with some pals from work, had to come out or I'd go crackers, I've been worrying about you all week.

  Brenda : Well you can stop worrying.

  Arthur Seaton : Is it all right then, did you see that doctor?

  Arthur Seaton : Oh yeah, I went, I didn't stay.

  Arthur Seaton : What?

  Brenda : I've decided to have it and face whatever comes of it.

• Arthur Seaton : Why don't you leave him alone you old bag.

  Mrs. Bull : Cheeky young beggar!

  Voice in Crowd. : You'll get 6 months in Lincoln.

  Drunken Man : Oh - let me go.

  Arthur Seaton : Walk off mate, nobody'll stop you.

  Civil Defence Officer : Don't put ideas in his head or you'll be in trouble.

  Arthur Seaton : You shut your bleeding rathole ratface, what good's it gonna do you handing him over to coppers?

• Aunt Ada : It ain't right is it, I think men get away with murder.

  Brenda : They do, don't they.

  Arthur Seaton : I don't know that much.

  Aunt Ada : Don't be such a big 'ead - and get cracking so as I can talk to her. What's your name duck?

  Brenda : Brenda.

• Doreen : You know the girl at our firm?

  Arthur Seaton : Which one?

  Doreen : You know, Tina, the one in the photo.

  Arthur Seaton : What about her?

  Doreen : She got married yesterday, she looked ever so nice.

  Arthur Seaton : What was the bloke like, could you smell the drink? They must've been drunk to get married.

  Doreen : You're in a rotten mood today.

  Arthur Seaton : I lost 5 quid at the races.

  Doreen : Serves you right, you shouldn't waste your money.

  Arthur Seaton : It's not wasted, I enjoy betting.

  Doreen : I don't care what you do with your money, its naught to do with me.

  Arthur Seaton : Well, stop telling me off then.

  Doreen : I'm not telling you off, you don't think I'm bothered about you like that do you?

  Arthur Seaton : That's not what you said in the pictures just now.

  Doreen : You're a pig, bringing it up like that.

• Bert : I don't know how that ratface could do a thing like that.

  Arthur Seaton : Cause she's a bitch and a whore, she's got no heart in her - she's a swivel-eyed git.

  Bert : She wants pole-axing.

  Arthur Seaton : Some people would nark on their mother, we're living in a jungle - we are and all. That bloke was a spineless bastard though, he should've run.

• Brenda : Been 'ere long?

  Arthur Seaton : 10 minutes, I was just looking at the lovely view.

  Brenda : Better come down to earth then, adn't you?

  Arthur Seaton : How did you go on at Aunt Ada's, it go off all right?

  Brenda : No it didn't, was just one of them old wive's tricks, she made me sit in a hot bath for 3 hours, had to drink a pint of gin. I'll never go through that again, it was terrible, I thought I was gonna die. And it didn't work.

• Brenda : Somebody told me the other day they'd seen you coming out of the pictures with a young girl.

  Arthur Seaton : It's a bloody lie then.

  Brenda : Do you think I'm daft Arthur? I can tell you don't go as much on me as you used to .

  Arthur Seaton : That isn't true Brenda, you know I like you a lot.

  Brenda : I know you do, you can see it a mile off.

  Arthur Seaton : Not my fault if you don't believe me, is it?

  Brenda : You know the trouble with you, you don't know the difference between right and wrong, and I don't think you ever will.

  Arthur Seaton : Maybe I won't, but I don't want anybody to teach me either.

  Brenda : You'll learn one day.

  Arthur Seaton : We'll see, but it's now that matters isn't it, we've still got to clear this mess up.

• Arthur Seaton : They'd bested me right enough. Still, I had me bit of fun. It ain't the first time I've been in a losing fight, won't be the last either I don't suppose.

• Doreen : This is a nice room, are all them clothes 'yorn.

  Arthur Seaton : Ah, just a few rags.

  Doreen : They must have cost you a pretty penny.

  Arthur Seaton : I get good wages.

• Arthur Seaton : What's it like outside?

  Doreen : It's a bit cold.

  Arthur Seaton : Not in bed it 'int, it's warm under all these blankets - come and try.

  Doreen : What do you take me for?

  Arthur Seaton : Well we're courting aren't we?

  Doreen : You might call it courting.

  Arthur Seaton : You're a nice girl, Doreen. I like you a lot. I reckon you oughta stay with me for good so's that I don't get knocked down by any more horses. Trouble with me is I'm always bumping into things, it's not much of a paying game.

  Doreen : You'll have to watch where you're going then won't you.

• Arthur Seaton : Your mam takes all night to read the paper, does she read slow or is she looking a the adverts?

  Doreen : She reads every word. She loves her newspaper more than a book.

• Jack : You're too much of a troublemaker, Arthur, you should take things as they come and enjoy life.

  Arthur Seaton : I do enjoy life, just because I'm not like you don't think I don't.

  Jack : I'll see you sometime.

  Arthur Seaton : Yeah.

• Bert : You know I told you to lay off weeks ago, not that you took a blind bit of notice.

  Arthur Seaton : Well you've gotta enjoy yourself.

  Bert : You've got to keep your feet on the ground as well.

  Arthur Seaton : I can't see much use in that. You see people settle down and before they know where they are they've kicked the bucket.

  Bert : It ain't altogether like that.

  Arthur Seaton : No, I now. It would be though if you didn't watch it.

• Doreen : You won't tell anybody anything, will you?

  Arthur Seaton : Why should I? It pays to keep your trap shut. Sit down.

  Doreen : No it don't.

  Arthur Seaton : I've just told you, haven't I? I told you - I got run over with a horse and cart.

  Doreen : You are a liar.

• Arthur Seaton : There's a lot more in life Bert, than me Mam and dad have got.

• Doreen : I asked mam if we could live at home, she said it'd be alright.

  Arthur Seaton : Till we get a new house, I wouldn't mind an old one me'self.

  Doreen : I would, I want a new one with a bathroom and everything.

• Arthur Seaton : I got beat up with 2 soldiers.

  Doreen : What for?

  Arthur Seaton : Well I've been knocking around with a married woman and her husband set them onto me, 2 onto 1, so they beat me. I'dve flattened them if they'd been one at a time.

• Arthur Seaton : I've still got some fight left in me, not like most people.

  Bert : Not saying you ain't, but where does all this fighting get you?

  Arthur Seaton : Have you ever seen where not fighting's got you?

• Arthur Seaton : What are you doing round this way then?

  Jack : I'm just going to press shop, I'm, I'm on days now.

  Arthur Seaton : I thought you might have been coming to see me.

  Jack : There's no need of that is there?

  Arthur Seaton : In't there. Haven't you thought them squaddies had killed me.

  Jack : I don't know what you're talking about.

  Arthur Seaton : I didn't think you would. That's the sort of bloke you are, in't it, till you get bashed in the face then you squeal like a stuck pig.

  Jack : You caused a lot of trouble between me and Brenda, you can't deny it neither, it weren't right.

  Arthur Seaton : You don't have to tell me what's right and what isn't. How's Brenda anyway?

• [Jack gets home from work to find his dad watching television aimlessly, not really aware of what is going on around him] 

  Arthur Seaton : Did you hear about that accident in the three-speed shop today, Dad?

  Mr. Seaton : No, not much.

  Arthur Seaton : Aye, this feller got his hand caught in a press. He didn't look what he was doing. Course he's only got one eye. He lost the sight of the other one looking at telly day in and day out.

  Mr. Seaton : [automatically, not paying attention to what Arthur is saying]  Oh aye?

• Arthur Seaton : Think of number one, share and share alike's no good.

  Jack : You wouldn't think like that though if you won the pools though, would you?

  Arthur Seaton : Wouldn't I? I'd see the family right but nobody else. If I got a stack of begging letters like most blokes do, you know what I'd do with them?

  Jack : What?

  Arthur Seaton : Make a bonfire.