The village of bramley end, england, after the end of world war ii. It tells of how an english village is taken over by german paratroopers. Based on the story by grahame greene, went the day well. It said that britain could win and would stop at nothing in so doing, and that was a fairly accurate assessment of what subsequently happened. In the churchyard, the verger points out the german graves and begins to relate the events leading up to the battle of bramley end. Once the villagers discover the true identity of the troops they do whatever they can to thwart the nazis plans. That was when the film was made, and when the uk cinema auidences watching it knew that all that separated them from invasion was a few miles of sea. Now that you mention it, saturday, may 23, 1942, started off nicely enough in the hamlet of bramley end with the preparations for a wedding being a particular highlight. The fact that most of the heroic protagonists are female andor middleaged very home front is a great appeal and only makes the small schisms of violence all the more believable in the pursuit of self and homeland preservation. Directed by alberto cavalcanti written by john dighton, diana morgan, and angus macfail from a story by graham greene 1942uk.
They are welcomed by the residents, until it is revealed they are german paratroopers serving as the vanguard for the invasion. No central figure, other than the heroic people of. It was used again in world war ii memorials, and it sets exactly the right mood for the eponymous english drama directed by alberto cavalcanti at ealing studios in 1942. Published two years earlier, greenes story concerned a village poacher and boer war veteran, who singlehandedly foils the nazis attempt to invade a sleepy rural. A superb wartime propaganda piece from ealing and a classic war film, 1942s went the day well. Alberto cavalcantis film tells the story of a quiet english village which has been infiltrated by german soldiers masquerading as british troops, leaving the.
Major hammond basil sydney creates quite a stir when he and his men show up unannounced for military exercises. Cavalcantis wartime film, based on a story by graham greene. A lberto cavalcantis 1942 film, presented as part of a new bfi retrospective, is a wartime conspiracy thriller. That is the important date to bear in mind when watching this film. At the time i had just started to research the subject. Starring leslie banks, mervyn johns, basil sydney, c. Ironically, in the preface to this collection, greene writes, in part, that he missed seeing the movie because he was out of england on war assignment. For the film group this month i chose went the day well. How many films and tv shows have left you quaking at the thought of your quiet home town being overrun. One day, he is arrested and put into jail, in solitary confinement. It is in black and white which gives you the rawness of the times. Thorold dickinson, 1942, to highlight the dangers of a nazi invasion, went the day well. And the fact that the film, made in 1942 but assuming a putative postwar victory, portrays that confidence manifestly. Alberto cavalcanti, 1942 is one of the most effective wartime films, although it suffered from the fact that, by the time of its release, the real threat of invasion had passed.
Went the day well digitally restored 80 years of ealing dvd. Is a classic piece of propagandist entertainment, a warning to british citizens to remain ever alert for the arrival of the enemy. During the second world war, a platoon of german paratroopers plan to place a signalling device in an english village in preparation for an upcoming invasion. Anton ludvik, aka gerard, is viceminister of foreign affairs of czechoslovakia. The plot gradually gains pace and the atmosphere is tense as the ordinary english folk rally round to face the professional soldiers of nazi germany. In the fictional village of bramley end, a platoon of british soldiers arrive on maneuvers. The author examines the development and reception of two british feature films in the context of changing british perceptions of germany. The eagle has landed made you have sympathy for the germans, went the day well made the germans look really despicable.
Incredible to think this film was made in 1942 when 2 years earlier the british public were in. I had seen the film, probably at the nft, a long time ago. Alberto cavalcantis 1942 film, presented as part of a new bfi retrospective, is a wartime conspiracy thriller, a blackcomic nightmare and a. It was produced by michael balcon of ealing studios and served as unofficial propaganda for the war effort. The new bfi restoration of cavalcantis went the day well opened 9 july 2010. France the movie has a runtime of about 1 hr 36 min, and received a score of out of 100 on metacritic. An english village is occupied by disguised german paratroopers as an advance post for a.
Sight of blood and injury detail is limited, including one brief scene in which a gunshot wound in a boys leg is treated. Occasional scenes of moderate violence include shootings and implied stabbings using bayonets. One of the more serious films made to show the british public what might happen if the nazis invaded england. The main feature and some extras have english subtitles. I have seen this film numerous times and always love it. Villagers resist when german paratroopers invade an english village and the squire proves to be a quisling. The film seems to speed by, filled with complex characters, action, and genuine presentations of the horrors that war inflicts on civilians. One of the most subversive films to come out of world war ii, a british drama that was unsettling in its day and is even more so now.
Dedication page to all those who appreciate the great british wartime film went the day well. Loosely based on a 1940 magazine story by graham greene called the lieutenant died last. Mrs fraser who lives in the manor house in bramley end in the film is a sixtysomething woman who is presumably. Disguised as british troops, all goes according to plan until vigilant local postmistress mrs collins.
Critical essay journal of popular film and television, summer, 2003, by s. A surprisingly hardedged propaganda drama which reveals a rather steely determination under the rosy cheeked village veneer. Released in the us as fortyeight hours, went the day well. During the second world war a group of british soldiers arrive in the small, fictitious english village of bramley end. Based on a short story by the renowned graham green, the story behind the film production of went the day well. Alberto cavalcanti, 1942 is one of the most effective wartime films. Based on graham greenes short story the lieutenant died last screenplay by john dighton. Classic wartime propaganda thriller based on a short story by graham greene. An english village is occupied by disguised german paratroopers as an advance post for a planned invasion. If so many can overlook the propaganda of obsolete films like battleship potemkin, there is certainly room for this picture. St mary the virgin, turville, buckinghamshire pretty much unchanged to this day, the village is also seen in 2009s oscarnominated an education, and is overlooked by the windmill from chitty chitty bang bang. At first they are welcomed by the villagers, until doubts begin to. Even though that particular threat had diminished somewhat by the time of the films 1942 released, the movie was like an emotional injection that encouraged resilience, vigilance and courage. But you have to remember that went the day well was made when ww11 was still going.
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