The film wouldn't work without a compelling lead performer: a bloke who doesn't work as hard as he could at his (admittedly mind-numbing) job; has an affair with a married lady (Rachel Roberts); spends all his money on alcohol and the odd movie.
He does have good qualities: he is affectionate to his mistress; takes his beating like a man; and most of all has spirit. You can see why Shirley Ann Field, who is lovely, is attracted to him - he's got more life in him than anyone else around. It's going to cause her a lot of drama down the track, though.
(You can't help wonder what happened to Finney and her: a couple of kids, infidelities, lots of drinking and watching TV/sport, the eventual loss of his job due to modernisation/market inefficiencies. I like to think they emigrated to Australia or Canada. At least young men in Finney's time had the chance of a job - now in many places they don't.)
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