"Went the day well? We died and never knew, But well or ill, England, we died for you" is a poem, in its original form, which was written during The Great War of 1914 - 1918 and then used, in part and in principle, as the title to the Alberto Cavalcanti (1897 - 1982) directed Ealing Studios film Went the Day Well? Based on a short story entitled "The Lieutenant Died Last" by (Harry) Graham Greene (1904 - 1991) who too wrote The Third Man (1949) and Brighton Rock (1947). This is the telling of a past event, in a similar vain as the narrator in Our Town (1940), that once happened on the Whitson weekend of 1942, in the sleepy English hamlet of Bramley End.<br /><br />Those who have seen the John Sturges 1976 film The Eagle Has Landed will have a vague idea as to the narrative of Went the Day Well? This too was based on a 1975 novel written by Jack Higgins, which it seems, bears more than just a passing resemblance to the 1942 film itself. This classic war film, The Eagle Has Landed, stars Michael Caine as the leading German Paratrooper and with Jenny Agutter, Robert Duvall, Donald Sutherland and Donald Pleasence, an involving cast and well worth the look. What separates this 1976 version of German occupation of little England and the 1942 film is that it was Went the Day Well? that hits home the hardest.<br /><br />Set during some three years into the actual conflict of World War II, and with its stark realism, stereotyping brushed a side for a moment; this is, for its time a brutal and violent film, considering. The time for this sleepy village to awake and face its demons has firmly landed on its doorstep. The transformation of idyllic rural Englishness has to be tested to its limits, on their own and with time running out, even the softest of hearts have to learn the hardest rule; in order to survive, this little village of Bramley End must, with shocking and disturbing new qualities', adapt to their new surroundings.<br /><br />Even by today's standards this looks tame, but the way in which it is done here shows the true message of the world war II propaganda film. Complacency is not the order of the day during the then real threat of a German invasion. As the war time audience were led to believe what may happen by letting your guard down will only endeavour you to you worst fears. Even in this scenario it is the pulling together of all, from the village post mistress to the Lady of the Manor and finding common place to ward of these fifth column infiltrators. This is England and the people who are only too willing to lay down their lives "for the sake of the children", they, in principle of the first world war poem, died for England, and freedom. This is the true message of this great, well-constructed propaganda war effect from Ealing Studios.<br /><br />There are some very dark moments here, very dark moments indeed, for the times in which it was made, of bravery and courage, and too, the hands-on violence towards the women and their children. While the men do do their bit, the focus of aggressive and boorish behaviour from these fifth column activists concentrates more on the women folk and it is they that are seen pulling together and doing their bit too, Went the Day Well? is an equal opportunities film that relies on the shock value of the predicament of imprisonment by the invading Hun and its, and in return, brutal treatment of the villagers' wives and daughters.<br /><br />One can only imagine the reaction during its showing around British cinemas on its release to the way in which these fighting heroines were severely treated. It is the job of Went the Day Well? to project the spirit of camaraderie from all spheres of life, and to inject and provoke the feeling of pride for ones efforts to fight the might of the German war machine, wherever they may land. This is the purpose of this film, and it does it very well and even then if it fails in its job to stir up nationalistic pride, then, perhaps, the day did not go too well.