Went the Day Well? (1942)

I first saw WTDW a few years ago, on TV. I found it quite engrossing, especially as it was made during the war, when there had been grave concerns about the possibility of an actual 5th column invasion. It was well put together with a cast of interesting actors. Some of the characters seemed, perhaps, a little wooden, but the style and speech may have had as much to do with that particular impression.In 2010, the movie was fully restored and then re-released on Blue Ray. The production qualities are remarkable, given the restrictions of re- processing almost 70-year old film stock. I found that watching it again proved to be very worthwhile.It's also interesting to consider the similarities between a later movie, The Eagle has Landed, and this one. The basic premise of the later film is quite different, but many of the other elements are very similar.I can strongly recommend this movie to viewers of all ages. It has sufficient realism and drama to keep one's attention throughout.

A most excellently done WWII propaganda film done without the participation of Hollywood. With just a small budget there isn't big action, no tanks, no bombers, no heavy artillery. It takes place in a small English country village. If you imagine yourself in England at the time this was released, the events could be real and very frightening. The war was still on and the British needed to always be alert for Nazi spies infiltrating the citizenry. The Germans are to be incredibly feared for they will kill without mercy, executing even children just to get their way. But the good guys will fight to the last person to defeat the heinous evil that salutes Hitler. As a way to push the realism this is much more violent than usual for this era. It's interesting to see how ruthless the Nazis are portrayed as; they really wanted to get to the heart and soul of all England and succeed they do.7.4 / 10 stars--Zoooma, a Kat Pirate Screener

English villagers take in some soldiers during WWII, thinking they are English. Turns out they are Nazis planning an invasion. When one of the villagers catches on, the Nazis round them all up as prisoners. Now the villagers have to figure out how to escape or get word out about what's going on, which surprisingly leads to many deaths. This is a good one. A tense, exciting, mature wartime thriller. You'll find yourself rooting for these incredibly likable villagers, which makes it all the more sad (and realistic) that so many of them don't make it out of the movie alive. Some very strong scenes, such as the pepper scene and the grenade scene, among many others. Terrific acting, writing, and directing. Just a remarkable film all around. One of the best WWII movies I've seen.

This film may be a propaganda piece but isn't heavy handed so is still exciting today. It opens with a man explaining why there is a memorial cross to several Germans in the middle of a quiet English village; he tells us that the war is over and Hitler's army has been defeated but back in 1942 a battle took place there: The Battle of Bramley End. We then return to see those events; several lorries loaded with what appears to be Royal Engineers turn up and their commanding officer informs the locals that they will be conducting exercises in the area and are to be billeted with the locals and in the village hall. At first their cover holds but they make a few small mistakes that leads one of the locals to get suspicious; she takes her concerns to a pillar of the community; not knowing that he is in fact a German agent. With the cover blown the Germans round up the villages and take them to the church. At first it looks as if there is nothing the villagers can do but they won't take the invasion lying down and start to figure out how they can alert the outside world... many of them will die in the struggle but they will ultimately prevail.Watching this film in peacetime 2012 it is impossible to know how viewers would have felt watching it in wartime 1942; the immediate threat of invasion had passed but the war was still far from over. Watching it in a peacetime context it is an exciting drama with plenty of action; much of it shockingly brutal for a film of its time... an elderly woman kills a German with an axe, another woman is killed by a grenade and a group of Home Guard soldiers are brutally machine-gunned; there may not be the blood splatters of modern films but that doesn't lesson its impact. The inhabitants clearly represent a cross section of society; the lady of the manor, the local poacher and even a working class evacuee play their part in defeating the enemy; clearly a message that everybody was in it together and that by standing together the country would prevail over the Germans. If you enjoy war films this one is certainly worth checking out; it may not be among the best known but it is still an excellent film.