GREAT DAY
UK, 1945, 79 minutes, Black and white.
Eric Portman, Flora Robson, Sheila Sim, Isabel Jeans, Walter Fitzgerald, Philip Friend, Marjorie Rhodes, Maire O'Neill, Beatrice Varley.
Directed by Lance Comfort.
Great Day is a morale-boosting film from the last years of World War II, a glimpse of Britain at war. The focus is on a small village, especially the women and their contribution to the war effort, preparing for a visit from Eleanor Roosevelt. Flora Robson and Marjorie Rhodes lead the cast of women of the village. Eric Portman plays Flora Robson's alcoholic husband, a hero in World War I who has never adapted to the end of the war and who finds himself out of place in World War II.
The film focuses on the characters, the class distinctions, young people and the services, engagements, prospects of family life after the war. There is a great deal of sentiment and patriotism - but it is a pleasant glimpse back at a strong period in British people working together.
1. Interesting and entertaining war film? The war effort? Patriotism at the time? In retrospect?
2. Black and white photography, the details of life in the village and the countryside? The musical score - and the culmination with Blake's `Jerusalem'?
3. The title, the patriotism and the hopes for the British? The status of the Americans, Eleanor Roosevelt and her visit? The visit as the climax of the film?
4. The war effort, the women and their contribution, the speeches made by the women about what was done, even at village level, even for food and clothing for the troops? The work together, the enterprise in preparation for the visit? The opening speech, the secrecy? The cross-section of British women?
5. The contrast with British men, away at the war, the farmers and the pubs? John and his heroism in World War I, his inability to settle down to civilian life, his drinking and causing trouble?
6. John and Liz, the marriage, John and his talking, borrowing money, drinking, being the great man in the pub? Not getting credit? The humiliations? Borrowing from Geoffrey, the attempt to steal the money? The fight and the arrest? His humiliation? Liz and her place with the women, her leadership? Support for her daughter? Making the dress for the little girl? Trying to help her husband, supporting him? Getting him to go to the visit and to try to build on the humiliation?
7. Margaret, her work in London, working on the farms? The flirtation with Geoffrey? His being considered wild? His leave, his disappointment with her? The fling with the woman in the hotel? Margaret and the engagement with Bob, his age? His being on the land - and the clash with John as he watched the windhover? Jane and her jealousy, criticism of Bob, criticism of Margaret? The public humiliation and her attack on all the women?
8. The women's work, their backgrounds, styles? Gossiping - and the telling off of Jane? At the pub, the work?
9. The pub, the men, the drinks, life in the country town?
10. A portrait of England in the 1940s and at the end of the war? The effect of the war on Britain - no more a simple life, the complications of the experience of war and its aftermath?
