Reviews of Went The Day Well? 1942
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An incisive mix of the blackest comedy, violent propaganda and subversive conspiracy, Went The Day Well is something of a hidden gem of British cinema, as stout British villagers refuse to be used as the entry point for a German invasion.
While it feels like an entertaining history lesson now, one can only imagine the terror it induced in audiences watching under the very real threat of invasion in the early 40's.
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German soldiers take over a small English village ahead of a planned invasion. The execution isn't always believable (these Germans sure know their English accents) but I really didn't mind much. This was made when WW2 was still raging on and some wartime propaganda films have a certain charm about them that I often enjoy, I had a very good time with this.
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Starts off all Dads Army meets Miss Marples and ends up in Straw Dogs territory.
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One of the three or four best war films I've ever seen. "Went the day well? We died and never knew." Directed by Alberto Cavalcanti, based on a short story by Graham Greene.
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"Propaganda film released and set in 1942, although the beginning and of the film are set 'after the War'. The film gives us a look at the lives and fears of people at that time - German invasion, trusted neighbours being untrustworthy and the hope of triumph of good over evil. The film was surprisingly violent, but would not be deemed so by today's standards."
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From a short story by Graham Greene and made by Ealing Studios this is a classic British propaganda picture that entertains whilst warning of the impending Nazi invasion.
The tension is gradually ratcheted up and maintained at a high level in the second half while we watch the inhabitants of a sleepy english hamlet try to outsmart the German Paratroopers who have taken over the village in advance of the invasion..
The story was plundered wholesale for 'The Eagle Has Landed (1976)' except this time they are after Churchill.
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Darker than I thought it would be, and more gruesome. Great stuff!
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Based on a story by Graham Greene, Went The Day Well? is a classic piece of propagandist entertainment, a warning to British citizens to remain ever alert for the arrival of the enemy. Alberto Cavalcanti's film tells the story of a quiet English village which has been infiltrated by German soldiers masquerading as British troops, leaving the plucky villagers to uncover the plot and fight back.
The film is quite amusing. Ealing Studios, which most often equaled entertainment, delivers also…
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Alberto Cavalcanti, Britain, 4/10
Remember when I said British WW2 movies have held up better than Hollywood's? Me neither. This is an "Ealing war movie" and if that sounds iconographically odd, this film explains why -- it's a cosy, "fubsy" little war film. The premise is inherently tense, the iconographic "English village" types are well-inhabited, and some scenes resonate (the first villager violence, attack on Home Guard), and it works well as a parable of appeasement and the putting-behind of… -
This is probably the Ealing film I've been least impressed with so far.
I felt the story could have worked better as a thriller and it was a missed opportunity. I understand that this was essentially a propaganda piece, but I would have expected more considering it was based on a Graham Greene story.
Frankly, it felt extremely lightweight considering the subject matter.
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Propaganda yes, but highly entertaining propaganda.
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Superb British propaganda film from 1942 that already talks of Hitler in the past tense. A tiny village that wouldn't be out of place in an episode of The Avengers is insidiously taken over by a platoon of undercover Nazi paratroopers, but Jerry didn't count on the plucky and resourceful villagers taking a stand.
Brilliantly written by Graham Greene, there's enough tension delivered throughout as the villagers try no end of potentially fatal ways of getting word out to the…