It Happened Here (1966)

There was a paperback titled If The Nazis Had Come on bookstore shelves around the time It Happened Here was released. I didn't read it, but I did rent the VHS from Video Vault before it closed its doors forever. I found the film to be plausible because there was a great deal of sympathy for both Mussolini and Hitler particularly among the upper middle class. Think Miss Jeanne Brodie and Unity Mitford. Chamberlain was weak and despised, and many Britons would have welcomed Hitler with open arms.In this film German troops are seen milling about Trafalgar Square, but the film subtly reminds that they are Englishmen who joined the Wehrmacht -- just as you can find them in the French Foreign Legion. The Germans had left the British Isles to fight the Russians. Some viewers will be offended by the newsreel footage that explains the Jewish problem. And some viewers will find it hilarious. Despite its low budget, the producers did a good job with the backdrops and posters.Definitely worth watching.

I don't hand out 1's and 10's often, and while the production on this film is quite low, with the sound quality for dialogue being the absolute worst, this film is totally compelling and you will be grateful you gave it a chance.The movie is shot as a pseudo documentary, following the life of Pauline, a strangely attractive nurse who must relocate to London in a world where Nazi Germany has more than a foothold in England; Soldiers occupy the nation and many British citizens have become their collaborators. You should read the interesting history behind the making of this film which took something like 6 years to complete, if you can believe it. But wait until after you watch the movie, of course. I'm glad I didn't know much about it before I began watching. Fans of science fiction, dystopian fiction, and Orwell will eat this up and want more.This is a war film like few others in that you don't see much of the war itself, by that I mean the front lines. You see the daily life of citizens in a country where all their normal daily routines have been stamped out and they are recast in the roles of pseudo-Nazis whether they like it or not. What are you waiting for?

`It Happened Here' Directed by Kevin Brownlow and Andrew Mollo is a Classic of British Cinema. The Film is remarkable in its authenticity, given the fictional scenario, the invasion of Britain by the Nazis during World War Two. The look of the Picture is very raw and earthy which adds to its realistic style.The German soldiers look perfect, I say this because it is so rare that Directors make such a concerted effort for perfection.Andrew Mollo and Kevin Brownlow are two of the most talented and unrecognized Directors in Britain. This Film is an example of the best of British Independent Film making and should be seen.

A thought-provoking war drama, which began life as the spare-time project of an 18-year-old film-lover and his 16-year-old friend. Almost an amateur film, but intellectually spell-binding. Based on the counter-factual premise that Britain was successfully invaded following the Dunkirk retreat and liberated by the Americans at the end of World War II. The images of London streets thronged with German soldiers are unforgettable. It is a film concerned with what war and military occupation does to people's minds. Nightmarish, stomach-churning. You owe it to yourself to see this film. Cannot recommend too highly. (Please take a look at my slightly longer review under "Newsgroup Reviews")