ken loach show the world the down and out flip side of swing london with poor cow and about london woman joy ( carol white ) hook up with a thief and have a son with him and only to see the man end up in the slammer . while his friend ( terence stamp ) manage to help her out some and he prove to be little well in what a loser he be . it soon become clear to joy that she go to have to make a serious decision about where she go in her life . one thing that i determine i do not know whether or not this be accurate be a use of irony in the movie . her name be joy and but she experience no joy in her life . even if that wasn not intend and it still a movie that i recommend to everyone . feature song by donovan ( one of which color appear in another terence stamp movie represent the limey ( which and incidentally and come out in 1999 and when i be as old a my parent be when poor cow come out ) ) .