Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #4088 in DVD
• Released on: 2006-11-13
• Rating: Parental Guidance
• Formats: Black & White, PAL
• Original language: English, German
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 89 minutes

Synopsis
A could-it-happen propaganda-type film which centres on a small English village invaded by German paratroopers disguised as soldiers of the Royal Engineers.

Customer Reviews

During WWII, the villagers of Bromley End do what they must to defend not just themselves, but England
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.

Terrific piece of suspense
An engaging and suspense-laden drama based on the notion that Germans infiltrate a small English village as the vanguard for an invasion of the country. Although the characters are by and large stereotypical (redoubtable lady of the manor, plucky land-girls, fragile but courageous vicar's daughter etc), the film is a fascinating snap-shot of techniques designed to keep the audience on the edge of their seats, and despite the black-and-white film and the classic RP accents, it achieves that completely. Both my nine-year old son and I were enthralled by the film. A tightly-scripted, well-crafted tale based on a Graham Greene short story that serves its purpose and continues to entertain, 65 years on.

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

The acting is 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.