Went the Day Well? (1942)

Went the Day Well? starts with a friendly chap addressing the camera and welcoming us to a small village cemetery. He tells us about some "past" events that happened here, specifically a German infiltration of a small British village.

Though not an account of any one specific event that happened during the war (the town in the film - "Bramley End" - is fictional), the film portrays what a German takeover could look like.

When you watch this movie - 70 years later -  keep in mind this movie was made in 1942. Not 1948 or 1952. 1942. The opening narration is set after the war when Hitler had been defeated, says the chap. The movie was quite ahead of its time.

The first half of the movie shows us how the Germans take over the town over a period of several days in May.  One of the title cards announces that one of the days is "Whit Sunday"; I had to look up what that meant because I didn't know Whit Sunday was a commemorative holiday for many in England.

There are some very emotional moments in the film. It's sad to see one of the trusted dignitaries of the village (Leslie Banks) aid the Germans, and shocking to see the town pastor get shot and killed in cold blood (in his own church on Whit Sunday, no less).

The suspense continues to build by the second half of the film when the villagers begin to fight back. Old folks, women, and children become heroes and in some cases, die fighting the enemy.

Went the Day Well?  had its premiere airing on the Turner Classic Movies channel a few months ago, and host Robert Osborne commented that he was amazed that more people had not seen this film.

Director: Albreto Cavalcanti.

More About This Film:

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LA Times Film Review, 2011
The UK Guardian Film Review, 2010
Review from the blog, The Stalking Moon, 2010
Film Review from the blog Sergio Leone and the Infield Fly Rule (2011)
Thrilling Days of Yesteryear, 2014 (review)