Went The Day Well? (1942)

"Yes, that 's the only bit of England they got!"

A fantastic novel written by a legendary English Author Graham Greene novelist to (Brighton Rock, Our man in Havana) is a brilliantly constructed wartime melodrama. The film is set through 72 long hours in a extremely small British village of Bramley End later described as the Battle of Bramley End. Which is the centre point for a endeavour for a German Invasion. Only this can be done be done with a contact inside of Bramley End with Local Fifth Columnist Oliver Wileford (Leslie Banks The Man Who Knew Too Much) But with much democracy still integral when postmistress-telephone operator Mrs. Collins (Muriel George) stumbling across a diminutive and basic clue involuntarily left behind  by well masked Germans who immediately alerts her neighbours of  imminent danger.

Director of Went the Day well Alberto Cavalcanti’s 1942 film wanted to produce a black-comic nightmare a surrealist masterpiece which doughtily English like army types reveal to be Nazis. Some resemblance to Dads army are here, In village of the damned, with a comparative twist on Taratino’s extraordinary fantasy war film Inglorious Basterds, also showing slight resemblance to Orson Welles radio broadcast of War of the Worlds the sheer terror and panic that its happening to the world and in a small town. In the quiet and inactive town of Bramley End, dozens and dozens of German disguised paratroopers arrive at this serene village.  Cavalcanti does not reveal how this penetration could be achieved. The film shows the Germans to be capable of violence and monster-ish behaviour towards civilians even daringly commenting on a rumour from the first world war about bayoneting babies, a rumour that is still almost certainly current at the time but revealing to humanity now that in later decades, a extremist innocence of what Nazi Germany were really actually competent of doing.

There are many jeers towards pessimistic French propaganda. The film is also in an almost cruel way how it repeatedly frustrates the audience hopes for victory of Bramley End. After callous attempts at extermination of home guards, the villagers make numerous efforts to convene help.  All the villagers of Bramley End respond with much determination, ruthlessness and resourcefulness. Theres an awful lot to forgive here, its very much an over-simplistic black-and-white, good-versus-evil story but the sets of the film well designed and simple not to overshadow the script which there at times is not as well refined as it could be. The film was made on a small budget but this does not show within the film, because all of the attention and detail has most certainly gone into the script and characters profiles. Extremely skilfully Cavalcanti turns the villagers of Bramley End from sleepy and tranquil people to cold blooded killers as they realise they are fighting for their and England’s life.

This is a simplistic but yet effective piece of wartime propaganda with what can happen to strangers enter a serene English paradise. The film is beautifully made and the actors within the film play their roles so well.

 

Running Time: 1hr 32mins

R: PG

Directed By: Alberto Cavalcanti

Cast:  Leslie Banks (Oliver Wileford)                                                                                                                                                                          Valerie Taylor (Norma)                                                                                                                                        
Marie Lohlr (Mrs Fraser)
Norman Pierce (Jim Sturry)