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Driveline Great Getaways

Went The Day Well? [1942]

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Director: Alberto Cavalcanti
Actors: Leslie Banks, C.v. France, Valerie Taylor, Marie Lohr, Basil Sydney
Studio: Optimum Home Entertainment
Category: DVD

List Price: ~~£12.99~~
Buy New: £4.98
You Save: £8.01 (62%)

New (2) Used (1) from £4.98

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

7 reviews
Sales Rank: 1484

Format: Black & White, Pal
Languages: English (Original Language), German (Original Language)
Rating: Parental Guidance
Region: 2
Number Of Discs: 1
Running Time: 89 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.1 x 5.4 x 0.6

EAN: 5060034577249
ASIN: B000I5XNJ2

Theatrical Release Date: December 7, 1942
Release Date: November 13, 2006
Shipping: Eligible for Super Saver Shipping
Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours

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Customer Reviews: Read 2 more reviews...

4 out of 5 stars

A call to arms December 3, 2008
Mark Kibble (Coalville Leics England)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful

A quaint peaceful english village, more at home on a picture post card or jigsaw puzzle is the setting for this wonderful piece of WW2 propoganda. Bramley End (not Bromley) houses the usual suspects, lady of the manor, clergyman, policeman, postmistress etc etc, there is even a poacher.
Little did they know that a troop of army engineers were not what they appeared, but were in fact nazi paratroopers, dropped to disrupt british radio transmissions ahead of an impending invasion.

The outcome of WW2 was in the balance in 1942, with Churchill preaching 'total war', along with 'Mrs Miniver' this film is designed to not only raise the country's moral, but to also emphasise that everyone has a part to play (including the film industry). This they did very well as when the nazi's cover was blown it was no more mr nice guy.

With the village isolated, it is left to the locals to try to get outside help and thwart the enemy actions, however one of their ranks is a fifth columnist, hindering their attempts. Finally a young boy gets through to the next villages home guard who with some regular troops attack the nazis'.

The horrors of war are brought home only too well, not only are the nazi troop killed to a man, but also some of the villagers, male and female.

Some future stars of film and tv are on parade, a very young Harry Fowler plays the boy, while Thora Hird and Patricia Hayes would go on to bigger things.

Well worth watching even now as it captures a time long gone when life seemed less complicated, and people could be proud of being english.

5 out of 5 stars

They don't make 'em like this any more July 30, 2008
A. Roberton (West Wales)
4 out of 5 found this review helpful

The early 1940's were never going to be easy and good 'propaganda' films were essential to the well-being of the Great British Public. Went The Day Well defines the British spirit, that of total belief that 'we would win the war'. The film opens showing an English village after the war, even though the war was very much still going on at the time this film was made, and told the story of the Germans buried on English soil. It goes on to show a typical English village in full swing during the war. It never ceases to amaze me that it really was like that, according to my parents, that a terrible thing like war was going on and yet 'normal' life continued as much as possible. The stereotypical differences between the English and German soldiers was obvious from the start - when the Germans pretended to be English they were kind, gentle and good mannered, but as soon as 'the game was up' and they had to revert back to being Germans, the nastiness of the 'hun came through powerfully. Which I assume was the whole point. I won't go into details of the story, others have already done that, but I will say that Went The Day Well is a piece of Britishness that we are all beginning to forget (sadly). The gentleness and warmth of British people, together with their unstinting belief that we would win the war, made this film such a delight. I imagine that in the cinemas at the time this Britishness was quite normal and not the big deal it would be today.

Some of the actors were not actors at all, they were army officers doing their bit. Hence the 'woodenness' of some of them. For me Harry Fowler stood out as being a real actor, in my opinion one of the best in the whole film. The story itself is about Good vs Evil and was highly successful in relating the virtues of goodness over evil, something that in a lot of today's films is missing.

This is one of my favourite films of all times, certainly in my top five. It's one of those films to watch on a wet Sunday afternoon, especially after a good Sunday roast, when you just want to sit and watch a 'feel good' film that will aid the digestion of a super lunch. If you have not yet seen this film, and you like old Black and White films from the forties and fifties, order it now. Believe me, you won't be disappointed.

5 out of 5 stars

This really is very good April 26, 2008
Secret Squirrel (U.K)
5 out of 6 found this review helpful

I was not expecting this to be so good, being a propaganda film, but this was engrossing and suspenseful and some of what happens, quite believable.

It really is quite a brutal film but as another reviewer point out, the actual acts of violence are mostly not seen, but can be imagined. Such as the grenade incident near the very end.

Did Jack Higgins get his inspiration for 'The Eagle has landed' from this ? In the book of 'Eagle' it begins with a grave being discovered with German names on it, as does this film.

Watching this made a refreshing change from multi million dollar blockbusters full of the same cliched phrases and unimaginative story lines.

5 out of 5 stars

Great Wartime Propaganda November 11, 2007
David R. Bishop (Plymouth, UK)
5 out of 6 found this review helpful

This film was made while WW2 was still raging, yet is told in flashback from a time of peace. It is easy to miss that now, but it carried a very strong message that the war would end, and that the British would win.

For me this film typifies the spirit of determination and sacrifice that the Government needed during the war. The most unlikely characters give their all, in an attempt to foil a German invasion.

Others have mentioned the good cast and strong performances. My special 'look out for' recommendation goes to a young Patricia Hayes.

It is low budget and simply produced, but this was a nation on its knees, calling all of it's citizens to do whatever they were able to assist the desperate war effort.

4 out of 5 stars

During WWII, the villagers of Bromley End do what they must to defend not just themselves, but England June 2, 2007
C. O. DeRiemer (San Antonio, Texas, USA)
59 out of 60 found this review helpful

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.

You'll recognize some fine actors: Leslie Banks, David Farrar, Thora Hird, Basil Sydney, Mervyn Johns among others. The film is a well-constructed and effective bit of wartime home-front propaganda.

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