I originally had this film recorded on VHS for years without watching it, then I recorded it from TV on my Freeview recorder, and finally I got to watching it when I rented it from Cinema Paradiso, based on a short story by Graham Greene (Brighton Rock, The Third Man, The Quiet American), directed by Alberto Cavalcanti (Dead of Night). Basically, set during the Second World War, in the English village of Bramley End, a group of seemingly authentic British soldiers arrive and are welcomed by the villagers. Soon though, doubts about the true intentions and identities of the soldiers set in. They are revealed to be German soldiers at the forefront for an intended invasion of Britain, they round up the residents and hold them captive in the local church. The Vicar (C. V. France) is shot while ringing the church bell trying to get help. Many villagers make attempts to send help and reach the outside world. Someone writes a message on an egg and gives them to the local paper boy for his mother, but they are crushed when someone runs over them. Mrs. Fraser (Marie Lohr) puts a note in the pocket of Cousin Maud (Hilda Bayley), but she uses it to hold her car window open, then her dog Edward chews it to shreds after it blows onto the back seat. Mrs. Collins (Muriel George), the postmistress, manages to kill a German with an axe used for chopping firewood, she tries to call for help, but the girls on the telephone exchange keep her waiting. Mrs. Collins is killed by another German who walks in on her, and her telephone call is answered with no response. The captive civilians try to warn the local Home Guard, but are betrayed by Oliver Wilsford (Leslie Banks), the village squire, who is revealed to be in collaboration with the Germans. Members of the local Home Guard are ambushed and shot by the Germans. A young boy, George (Harry Fowler), escapes from the church. A German soldier shoots him in the leg, but he manages to alert the British Army. British soldiers arrive with some villagers, including some Women's Land Army girls who managed to escape. They arm themselves with various improvised weapons, barricade themselves in a house, a short battle ensues, and the Germans are defeated. Wilsford is shot dead by Nora Ashton (Valerie Taylor), the vicar's daughter, who discovers his treachery when trying to let the Germans into the barricaded house. During the battle, many of the villagers are wounded or killed. Mrs. Fraser sacrifices herself to save the children from a grenade explosion, and Jim Sturry (Norman Pierce), father of Tom Sturry (Frank Lawton), is shot in the arm and wrenches his ankle as he falls. The British troops then arrive at Bramley End. This story has been told by a villager, Charlie Sims (Mervyn Johns), in flashback, as he stands by the grave of a German, proudly saying "Yes, that's the only bit of England they got." Also starring Elizabeth Allan as Peggy, Basil Sydney as Major Ortler, Edward Rigby as Bill Purvis, David Farrar as Lieutenant Jung, Thora Hird as Ivy, and Patricia Hayes as Daisy. The cast are all quintessentially English, it is a most plausible story that would have chilled people at the time it was released during the real war, I will admit it was very chatty more than thrilling, but it gripped me at the right moments, especially the battle sequences, it is a worthwhile war drama. Good!
Review of Went the Day Well?
