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Went the Day Well?

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4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Went the Day Well? is one of the British war movies made during WWII that were meant to strengthen morale and inspire steadfastness. The little English village of Bromley End welcomes a large number of Royal Engineers who are to work on a secret project. However, the Royal Engineers in reality are English-speaking German soldiers in British uniforms, parachuted into England to set up a counter radar apparatus which will disrupt England's radar network.

Gradually the villagers begin to suspect things aren't right, and then realize what they're dealing with. The Germans cordon off the village and show their true, ruthless nature. The villagers need to break through the cordon to alert authorities and get help. They also decide they must take action themselves to stop the Germans. This is complicated because the village houses a traitor. The climax is the Battle of Bromley End, with British Home Guard troops arriving while the Germans, attacking the manor house where they must set up their equipment, are held off by the brave men and women of the village.

If you're fond of older Brit movies you'll recognize some fine actors: Leslie Banks, David Farrar, Thora Hird, Basil Sydney, Mervyn Johns. The film is a well-constructed and effective bit of wartime home-front propaganda.

Made in 1942, the film actually begins in the "future" after the end of the war. The narrator shows us a grave marker with the names of German soldiers engraved on it. The narrator proceeds to tell the story about how the village was invaded by Germans in 1942. The Germans were disguised as British Soldiers, but soon gave themselves away. The town found itself the prisoners of the Germans, and the film shows how the citizens coped with the situation. Even though we know what the ultimate end of the story is, the film does an excellent job of making us doubt the final outcome.

"Went the Day Well?" is incredibly suspenseful, historically fascinating, and surprisingly harsh. It is a no-nonsense film made for a wartime populace. While it incidentally packs in a lot of propaganda advice (how to spot suspicious activity, what to do in a military emergency, the importance of "doing your bit" for the country), the major drive of "Went the Day Well?" is to psychologically adapt a everyday people to wartime violence. This means that terrible things happen to kind and lovable people, and--what is perhaps more upsetting--that kind and lovable characters kill people brutally. It is a kind of cinema violence which I don't think that current cinema prepares us (the one contemporary film it reminds me of is "A History of Violence," in that both films take violence seriously). It probably owes a great deal of its touch to Graham Greene.

I'm surprised that one reviewer found the Germans portrayed sympathetically. I would say the film's single identifiable flaw is that all of the Germans are shown to be heartless pigs. It is always a shame when even propaganda that is "in the right" can't allow the fact that most people, even enemies, are fairly decent and civilized on a person-to-person level (the great message of Vonnegut's Mother Night).

"Went the Day Well?" is that really very rare thing, a genuinely troubling film. *And* it's exciting.

This film is a very well made 2nd World War story, which is based on a short story by Graham Greene.

The acting was generally very good, although there was one officer who struck me as being particularly wooden, but his was a small part and of little consequence. There are quite a few memorable scenes in this film which (for 1942) are very tense. Interestingly it is the British who commit the more horrible acts of violence, whereas the Germans are mostly portrayed in quite a good light.

Unlike a modern film the acts of violence in this film were never shown in graphic detail, but surprisingly the film made it quite obvious what was about to happen, even if they couldn't show the detail. In this respect another aspect of the films strengths was the cinematography.

My only other criticism is that the surprise element in the film is removed by the introduction by one of the villagers at the start of the film. Overall though this is one of the very best 2nd world war films made at the time I have ever seen. Strongly recommended.

This story takes us to a part of England in the early stages of the Second World War where a small village suddenly receives a visit from the troops - that is an army on manoeuvres just around of the time last days of peace. It is summer, it is calm and all go about their own chores. As usual we meet the Reverend, the pub owner, the milkman and the local Dad's Army. The visiting troops turn out to be something quite other than expected and display manners very unEnglish and sometimes rather brutal... reminding us of the threat that lay present those last free days of a Free Europe.. This is certainly a film for those of us who where too young to have been there, to remind to not always take freedom for granted, nor the freedom of speech, still regardless of age this is a film for all of us. It is entertaining, with Classic English humour and just like any good English detective story you don't know the killer until the very end...or your Army, for that matter..

THis is a very severe film. What promises in its opening minutes to be an eccentric British comedy of war-time pluck evolves into a very savage and vivid evocation of the socially corrosive effect of fighting a war of invasion on home territory. When we remember that this film was made actually at a time of war the effect is quite an eye-opener.

The film, while British in content and performance, was directed by the wordly Brazilian film-maker Alberto Calvacanti and so it is perhaps this which gives it its unsparing quality. A disturbing masterpiece, perhaps?

Having recently found this at a local DVD store I was sufficiently intrigued enough to buy it. Having finally sat down to watch this film early this morning I was rather surprised by this little UK propaganda film. Unlike many of its counterparts (either American or Birtish that I've seen anyway) this film went beyond simple propaganda needs and became an intriguing thriller in its own right.

The film's cast helps to sell much of the story. From Basil Sydney and David Farrar as the officers leading the attack to Leslie Banks as their ally in the village to the young Harry Fowler along with Valerie Taylor, Frank Lawton and Muriel George amongst others the cast all seem perfectly natural in their roles. All in all the result is that it's a fine cast telling a fine story.

The main selling point of this film though is the story. Years before Jack Higgins would turn the concept into his bestseller (and later still a fine film) called The Eagle Has Landed writers John Dighton, Angus MacPhail and Diana Morgan would take a short story by famed writer Graham Greene (The Third Man, Our Man In Hanvana etc.) and create a fascinating tale. From the moment Mervyn Johns gives his introduction to his epilogue for the story the audience is aware that this is a World War II propaganda film without any doubt. Yet it soon becomes apparent that this is far more then that. The story soon becomes a tale of deception, double crosses and the power of the ordinary person in a time of war. While the film's propaganda message will be lost on many modern viewers, the story is a compelling one to be sure.

The production value's are handsome as well. Tom Morahan designs make for a highly convincing English village which one imagines couldn't have been easily built during wartime. Famed composer William Walton (soon the become famous for his work on the Olivier Shakespere films) provided a fine score, especially at the opening and closing of the film. yet the highlight of the production side of the film is the wonderful cinematography by Wilkie Cooper. Cooper's cinematography, from sunny summer days to the moodiness of a night of desperate attempts, perfectly fits each moment and situation.

The film isn't perfect of course. While the story is intriguing in itself, there is something of a mistake made by having the opening and closing done by actor Mervyn Johns. While they serve a fine purpose as propaganda pieces (and of course bookends) the opening gives away quite a bit very early on which dampens the surprise that comes as the film progresses. There's also the staging of the battle sequences that, like many films of this era, seems rather dated today with all its hollering and men falling over. These are relatively minor problems though when compared with the rest of the film.

With the combination of intriguing story, nice performances and handsome production values Went The Day Well? is an intriguing film. While at times it is an overly obvious piece of World War II propaganda as a thriller it stands up quite well nearly seven decades on from when it was made. With its timeless tale of the power of the ordinary person it is a film that speaks even now.

You might call "Went the Day Well?" a precursor to "The Eagle Has Landed," for both films involve the clandestine wartime takeover of a rural English village by Nazis who hold the villagers hostage in the local church. Unfortunately, most filmgoers have never heard of "Day." It cost a tiny fraction of "Eagle" and contains no international stars (Leslie Banks is its biggest name), but it's ten times more moving, more suspenseful, and more genuinely atmospheric, and its characters -- young and old, upper class to yeoman to poacher, and particularly its women, many of them quietly heroic -- are far more vivid and memorable.

Went the Day Well is a historic and popular concept occuring during WWII.
The invasion of England by Germany should it occur.
It supposes that Germany indeed lands on English soil and the possibilites this would create.

It is an excellent film. Yes five stars...ten!

A great film which is unfortunately not see often. A splendid film that not many studios were prone to make.