Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #3213 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

They don't make 'em like this any more
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.

This really is VERY good
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.

Great Wartime Propaganda
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.