Forget about "This is why we fight" messages; This is a "Life Continues" message story. The wise Flora Robson shines in an understated performance as a wife and mother in a small British community who is thrilled to learn that American first lady Eleanor Roosevelt is coming to their town for a "Good Will" visit. The town's bossy matriarch uses this opportunity to unleash her venom on Robson's daughter, while the hard-drinking husband gets into a situation that would test any wife's patience. But Robson handles each crisis with dignity and comes off the "real person's" keeper of the spirit of family, not over-idealized like Hollywood's Mrs. Miniver. A busy year for the oft-overlooked Robson, it was a far cry from her supporting turns in "Saratoga Trunk" and "Caesar and Cleopatra". Eric Portman and Sheila Sims add fine support as her family, with Isabel Jeans ("Gigi") a "proper snob" as the antagonist. The final is extremely touching.
9 Reviews
Brit WWII film
ksf-218 April 2013
As the film opens, we see a group of women gathering to discuss something of GREAT importance. It turns out the town will have a famous visitor, and they are determined to have everything go just right.
Lady Mott ( Isabel Jeans ) is leading up the group to spiff up the village, and to make everything perfect, and is turning everyone upside down. She is rude to everyone, and when they call her on it, all hell breaks loose. There's one scene about 20 minutes in, where she is speaking to someone outside on a country road, and you can hear quite the echo, showing that it was clearly filmed on a sound stage. The main story revolves around the Ellis family, who all have their troubles. Meg Ellis (Sheila Sim) must choose between the two men in her life. Her father has a hobby which is discovered and frowned upon by the authorities. Supporting roles for Eric Portman and Flora Robson It's all quite entertaining, for a WWII film. IMDb lists the runtime as 62 minutes for the U.S. version, but TCM must be showing the British version at 80 minutes.
This British RKO film is directed by Lance Comfort; it took another year to make it over to the U.S. after the war had ended.
Lady Mott ( Isabel Jeans ) is leading up the group to spiff up the village, and to make everything perfect, and is turning everyone upside down. She is rude to everyone, and when they call her on it, all hell breaks loose. There's one scene about 20 minutes in, where she is speaking to someone outside on a country road, and you can hear quite the echo, showing that it was clearly filmed on a sound stage. The main story revolves around the Ellis family, who all have their troubles. Meg Ellis (Sheila Sim) must choose between the two men in her life. Her father has a hobby which is discovered and frowned upon by the authorities. Supporting roles for Eric Portman and Flora Robson It's all quite entertaining, for a WWII film. IMDb lists the runtime as 62 minutes for the U.S. version, but TCM must be showing the British version at 80 minutes.
This British RKO film is directed by Lance Comfort; it took another year to make it over to the U.S. after the war had ended.
Welcome, Eleanor!
dexter-1022 May 2000
This is both a delightful and a curious film of the effects of World War Two on rural British life in a small town setting. Throughout the war the women of the town have been supplying woolen goods to Allied Armies in order to do their bit for the war effort, even to the Russians defending Stalingrad. The film's delight comes from watching the womenfolk prepare for a visit from Eleanor Roosevelt, the American First Lady. The excitements from the anticipation of her visit surrounds the town and its activities. The curious side of the film has to do with the realization that the town never really changed very much during the war. Yes, there are fewer men, but the town still seems untouched by the horror of war. Small and petty problems are the order of the day, and ancient likes and dislikes rule the gossip. But did they not always? The subplot of Margaret Ellis's (by Sheila Sim)choice for a husband is a reflection of business as usual for small town activity. Indeed, getting in the wool is almost as important as the First Lady's visit. In one sense, the movie confirms that the British role in World War Two was indeed fitting and normal. The suspense of how the town will take to Mrs. Roosevelt and how she will view the town dominates the action. Alas, the great day is coming!
Not great but .....
eddie-8317 January 2010
"Great Day" couldn't be described as a great film by any stretch but it has enough of the incidental pleasures present in so many English movies (for me anyway) to be worth seeing.
First of all Eric Portman is outstanding as the pathetic WW1 Captain whose time has passed. He reminded me a little of David Niven in "Separate Tables". Flora Robson as his supportive wife is also excellent, no surprises there. It struck me looking at the familiar faces in the cast that so many of these actors always seem to have been middle-aged, was there a young Irene Handl or John Laurie, was there ever a teenage Kathleen Harrison, Marjorie Rhodes or Patricia Hayes? I can't recall them.
While it's fascinating to see the Women's Institute in action in Village England "Great Day" is very studio-bound with too obvious back-projection and the dialogue tends to the stilted. (I did like one line about a dinner invitation "Kill the fatted spam") And was Britain always drenched in sunshine?
"Great Day" is well worth one look.
First of all Eric Portman is outstanding as the pathetic WW1 Captain whose time has passed. He reminded me a little of David Niven in "Separate Tables". Flora Robson as his supportive wife is also excellent, no surprises there. It struck me looking at the familiar faces in the cast that so many of these actors always seem to have been middle-aged, was there a young Irene Handl or John Laurie, was there ever a teenage Kathleen Harrison, Marjorie Rhodes or Patricia Hayes? I can't recall them.
While it's fascinating to see the Women's Institute in action in Village England "Great Day" is very studio-bound with too obvious back-projection and the dialogue tends to the stilted. (I did like one line about a dinner invitation "Kill the fatted spam") And was Britain always drenched in sunshine?
"Great Day" is well worth one look.
Thank you John-Harry-Adams
howardmorley5 May 2017
The above user's review was quite succinct but I awarded him a useful star as I agreed with his every word.I too considered that the producer of "A Canterbury Tale" (1944) had a success with the pairing of Eric Portman and Sheila Sim in that film so it was decided to pair them again this time as father and daughter in "The Great Day"(1945) the following year.They had a poignant scene together where Sheila suspects her failed father is about to commit suicide but uses artful applied psychology to induce him to return to their family home and to his wife played by the great Dame Peggy Ashcroft.
I suppose it was too much to expect to see Eleanor Rooseveldt in person but I lived in hope when it was announced that America's first lady would visit the English village.I suppose had we seen her she would have just become a widow seeing as how Franklin Delano Rooseveldt died the year this film was made and just before the war ended.There was a veritable cornucopia of well known (to me) actors in the cast list which included cameos by Patricia Hayes (Mrs Cravatte in her later career in "Hancock's half hour") a fine comic and dramatic actress, Ivor Barnard, Irene Handl, Beatrice Varley, and the ubiquitous actor who played private Fraser in "Dads Army, John Laurie.
Being an aficionado of 1940s movies, especially British produced, I was surprised this 71 year old had not seen it before and I rated it with 7/10 as enjoyable.Please upload more of these gems!
I suppose it was too much to expect to see Eleanor Rooseveldt in person but I lived in hope when it was announced that America's first lady would visit the English village.I suppose had we seen her she would have just become a widow seeing as how Franklin Delano Rooseveldt died the year this film was made and just before the war ended.There was a veritable cornucopia of well known (to me) actors in the cast list which included cameos by Patricia Hayes (Mrs Cravatte in her later career in "Hancock's half hour") a fine comic and dramatic actress, Ivor Barnard, Irene Handl, Beatrice Varley, and the ubiquitous actor who played private Fraser in "Dads Army, John Laurie.
Being an aficionado of 1940s movies, especially British produced, I was surprised this 71 year old had not seen it before and I rated it with 7/10 as enjoyable.Please upload more of these gems!
Not what you might think
DWellECON18 April 2013
From the title, and from the brief plot summary, you might expect this to be another wartime morale booster. If it is, it is a strange one indeed.
The story is set in an English village preparing for a visit from Eleanor Roosevelt. So you might expect a celebratory story about a hard pressed but noble people. If so, you would be wrong.
Far from being noble, some of the village women are petty, gossipy, and borderline vicious. Many of course are not, but they are portrayed as normal, not noble. The story centers on the Ellis family, who have apparently moved to the village after failing elsewhere. The father, John Ellis (quite effectively portrayed by Eric Portman) is a failure in life, hanging on to his one moment of glory as an Army Captain in World War I. His wife, Flora Robson in another great performance, is long-suffering and supportive, and our hearts go out to her. Their daughter, Shelia Sim, must choose between two men: one an exciting young man her age and an older but settled man. What makes the decision difficult for her is that she has had too much of going without or just barely getting by so that she is strongly drawn security offered by the older man.
I find the remark of another viewer about obvious sets odd. Though there are some scenes like this, I found the black and white outdoor scenes quite impressive and striking. Even some scenes, such as two men talking in a field, that could have been filmed on a set were actually filmed outdoors. I was especially struck by the scenes where the father wanders the country at night, emotionally if not physically lost, while his daughter searches for him.
The movie does end on a triumphant note with Mrs. Roosevelt's visit, but if you want to see this as propaganda I guess the message would be that even these flawed people are worthwhile. For me this film was a well made, well written, well acted, interesting and moving character study.
The story is set in an English village preparing for a visit from Eleanor Roosevelt. So you might expect a celebratory story about a hard pressed but noble people. If so, you would be wrong.
Far from being noble, some of the village women are petty, gossipy, and borderline vicious. Many of course are not, but they are portrayed as normal, not noble. The story centers on the Ellis family, who have apparently moved to the village after failing elsewhere. The father, John Ellis (quite effectively portrayed by Eric Portman) is a failure in life, hanging on to his one moment of glory as an Army Captain in World War I. His wife, Flora Robson in another great performance, is long-suffering and supportive, and our hearts go out to her. Their daughter, Shelia Sim, must choose between two men: one an exciting young man her age and an older but settled man. What makes the decision difficult for her is that she has had too much of going without or just barely getting by so that she is strongly drawn security offered by the older man.
I find the remark of another viewer about obvious sets odd. Though there are some scenes like this, I found the black and white outdoor scenes quite impressive and striking. Even some scenes, such as two men talking in a field, that could have been filmed on a set were actually filmed outdoors. I was especially struck by the scenes where the father wanders the country at night, emotionally if not physically lost, while his daughter searches for him.
The movie does end on a triumphant note with Mrs. Roosevelt's visit, but if you want to see this as propaganda I guess the message would be that even these flawed people are worthwhile. For me this film was a well made, well written, well acted, interesting and moving character study.
Too late for propaganda films
Goingbegging16 June 2021
By the time this film was completed in April 1945, everyone knew the war in Europe was ending, and the propaganda war along with it, so the familiar patriotic stylistics suddenly seemed irritating - which could explain why it actually made a small loss at the box office.
We are looking at 24 hours in the life of an English village, run largely by the Women's Institute while the men are away, preparing for the visit of American First Lady, Eleanor Roosevelt. Rather in the style of 'Random Harvest', the story centres on a damaged veteran of the trenches (Eric Portman), still clinging to his old rank of Captain and a chestful of medals, having done nothing since, except drink and mope, supported by his loyal wife (Flora Robson) and comely daughter Meg (Sheila Sim).
Meg does not realise that she has been held back from emotional maturity, trapped in the past by her father's troubles, semi-engaged to a local farmer much too old for her, but half-wanting to marry a young officer (Geoffrey) who is abroad in his unit. When her father is arrested in a drunken incident, the story is suddenly brought to its climax, with Geoffrey making a surprise entry at a timely moment and persuading Meg to embrace the future, not the past.
Interesting to see a village matriarchy in operation, full of goodwill, but not without a little trouble in paradise. (Also that shrill high-speed chatter is rather over-theatrical). And a refreshing surprise to see Flora Robson in the wife-and-mother role. I'd never realised she could smile - very charmingly too!
April 1945, of course, was when Eleanor's husband Franklin D. Roosevelt died, quite suddenly, causing Hitler to go into his mad dance round the bunker, just a fortnight before his own suicide.
We are looking at 24 hours in the life of an English village, run largely by the Women's Institute while the men are away, preparing for the visit of American First Lady, Eleanor Roosevelt. Rather in the style of 'Random Harvest', the story centres on a damaged veteran of the trenches (Eric Portman), still clinging to his old rank of Captain and a chestful of medals, having done nothing since, except drink and mope, supported by his loyal wife (Flora Robson) and comely daughter Meg (Sheila Sim).
Meg does not realise that she has been held back from emotional maturity, trapped in the past by her father's troubles, semi-engaged to a local farmer much too old for her, but half-wanting to marry a young officer (Geoffrey) who is abroad in his unit. When her father is arrested in a drunken incident, the story is suddenly brought to its climax, with Geoffrey making a surprise entry at a timely moment and persuading Meg to embrace the future, not the past.
Interesting to see a village matriarchy in operation, full of goodwill, but not without a little trouble in paradise. (Also that shrill high-speed chatter is rather over-theatrical). And a refreshing surprise to see Flora Robson in the wife-and-mother role. I'd never realised she could smile - very charmingly too!
April 1945, of course, was when Eleanor's husband Franklin D. Roosevelt died, quite suddenly, causing Hitler to go into his mad dance round the bunker, just a fortnight before his own suicide.
From the UK perspective ...
john-harry-adams27 November 2016
Gosh, what an odd view the other reviews paint of this film's setting! The Women's Institute was a significant voluntary organisation during WW2. This film is one of many paying a tribute to that organisation - a recognition of their contribution to the war effort. Like other films of this type, e.g. Fires Were Started, they'd be a bit dull if they didn't include some human interest - and that is where most of the plot is driven - in particular with respect to the Ellis family.
The casting is interesting. The year before the fantastic A Canterbury Tale - a Powell and Pressburger gem - came out. The stars of this brilliant film were - Eric Portman and Sheila Sim - Captain and Miss Ellis in Great Day. The chemistry between the two in ACT was, I'm sure, what got them into Great Day. Even Miss Sim's (later Lady Attenborough, by the way) clothes were carried over - it seems!
The casting is interesting. The year before the fantastic A Canterbury Tale - a Powell and Pressburger gem - came out. The stars of this brilliant film were - Eric Portman and Sheila Sim - Captain and Miss Ellis in Great Day. The chemistry between the two in ACT was, I'm sure, what got them into Great Day. Even Miss Sim's (later Lady Attenborough, by the way) clothes were carried over - it seems!
"Sometimes it's braver to live than to die."
clanciai30 October 2018
This is one of those small films about small matters looming to greatness. It's just a small village making a big fuss about a great occasion falling suddenly upon them, making them all contribute a last great war effort to welcome - Eleanor Roosevelt. Of course, she never appears in the film, because the film is about all those small common very human people who are looking foraward to receiving her by making the best possible impression. This is not so easy, as there are tragedies on the way, there is a love affair that turns out in odd ways, there is jealousy among the ladies, and there is Eric Portman in perhaps his finest act. He was always made to play impossible roles, often murderers and at least very unsympathetic characters, and this is no exception, but more overwhelmingly human in its pathetic realism. He has memories of the first world war and has been doing nothing since but living on those memories with a wife and daughter always being obliged to take care of him when he falls, but he makes this impossible role just perfectly, and you will cry for him if not for all the gorgeous community of mostly ladies just making an effort. William Alwyn's music crowns it all with an addition of Hubert Parry in the end to suit Eleanor Roosevelt together with the Star Spangled Banner. Also the cinematography is a marvel with its many close-ups, really closing in on people with their innermost feelings, like Eric Portman in the beginning with his daughter watching birds; but perhaps the greatest impression of all is made by the wonderful dialogue all the way -- it's a vast river of brilliant conversation, nothing remarakable, nothing eloquent, but flowing incessantly of just human nature. In brief, this is one of those very small films that tower above many great ones.
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