Great Day

The ladies of the English village of Denley are called to a meeting. Eleanor Roosevelt is coming for a secret visit. Everybody is excited to prepare for the privilege. The Ellis family has their internal dramas.

This was released in London on April 13 1945 and after the war in the States. President Roosevelt happened to die on April 12, 1945. It must have been quite a dark emotional premier if they even had one. I can also see why this was a box office failure. As a movie, this drama is a bit of Our Town at war. The small town affair doesn't mean a whole lot to me, but there are interesting war discussions. It's British. It's based on a play. It failed.

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.

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.

Curious title for this film.

From 1945, the film takes place in an English village, Denley, where it is announced that Eleanor Roosevelt will be visiting the next day. She will be observing wartime efforts by the Women's Institute, a program that prepares and sends products to the troops.

The focus is on one family, the Ellis'. The matriarch, Liz (Flora Robson) is a valuable program member. Her husband, Captain Ellis (Eric Portman) is a veteran living in his past glory and spending money they don't have on liquor. Liz has cut off his credit at the local pub so he spends time borrowing or cadging drinks.

Their daughter, Margaret, is planning to marry an older landlord but is really in love with a soldier (Philip Friend). She wants security. Philip's sister is nasty and bitter, opposed to the engagement.

In the midst of the preparations, Captain Ellis is arrested for trying to steal money.

While the film does show the excitement and preparations for Mrs. Roosevelt's arrival, it seems really to be the story of the dysfunction in the Ellis household. This is perhaps an attempt to show, through Liz Ellis, the coping mechanisms and hard work of the village women.

Liz consoles her daughter and is strong for her husband. All the while, she works for the program and makes a new dress for the child who will present flowers to Mrs. Roosevelt. Robson gives a wonderful performance, and Portman is wonderful as a disillusioned soldier who feels the world has left him behind.

The final scene is lovely and uplifting. The film is dedicated to the Women's Institute.

Some trivia: Sheila Sim, the pretty ingenue, was married to Sir Richard Attenborough for 69 years and distinguished herself in several films. Sadly, part of their family was lost in the tsunami that hit Thailand.

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.