It Happened Here (1965)

In 1940, the Nazis invade Britain and transform it into a fascist state where some Britons collaborate and others resist.

Directors:

Kevin Brownlow, Andrew Mollo

Writers:

Kevin Brownlow (story and screenplay), Andrew Mollo (screenplay)

Stars:

Pauline Murray, Sebastian Shaw, Bart Allison

Nominated for 1 BAFTA Film Award. Another 2 wins.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Pauline Murray	...	Pauline
Sebastian Shaw	...	Doctor Richard Fletcher
Bart Allison	...	Skipworth
Reginald Marsh	...	IA Medical Officer
Frank Bennett	...	IA Political Leader
Derek Milburn	...	Partisan
Nicolette Bernard	...	IA Woman Commandant
Nicholas Moore	...	IA Group Leader Moorfield
Rex Collett	...	IA NCO
Michael Passmore	...	IA Man
Peter Dyneley	...	German Officer
Barrie Pattison	...	Street Corner Speaker
Honor Fearson	...	Honor Hutton
Ronald Phillips	...	German NCO
Frank Gardner	...	Partisan

Storyline

It is the Second World War. The Nazis have invaded Britain. There is a split between the resistance and those who prefer to collaborate with the invaders for a quiet life. The protagonist, a nurse, is caught in the middle.

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Plot Keywords:

nazi | alternate history | fake documentary | british new wave | resistance | 

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Taglines:

What would have happened if the German army had crossed the English channel

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Genres:

Drama | Fantasy | War

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English German

Release Date:

8 August 1966 (USA)

Also Known As:

Det hände här

Filming Locations:

Salisbury, Wiltshire, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

$20,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Rath Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

97 min (director's cut)

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The film was shot in black and white on 16 mm film. Despite its grainy, newsreel feel, no actual stock footage was used. The filming equipment was mostly borrowed. The audio quality and lighting during the opening are poor, making the opening dialog difficult to follow. Stanley Kubrick donated film stock from 'Dr. Strangelove' to help finish this film. Wartime BBC radio announcers Alvar Liddell and John Snagge donated their services to reconstruct voice newsreels and radio broadcasts. Director Tony Richardson co-financed the final production.

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Quotes

Doctor Richard Fletcher: The appalling thing about fascism is that you've got to use fascist methods to get rid of it.

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Alternate Versions

All British release versions prior to 1993 ran 93 minutes, due to the deletion by the distributors of a scene showing real neo-Nazis expounding their ideology. This was restored for the 1993 Connoisseur Video release.

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Connections

Edited into Hitler's Victory (2002)

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Soundtracks

Egerlander March
(uncredited)
Traditional

User Reviews

Awesome pseudo-documentary footage

Ignore Leonard Maltin's comments - he's clearly missed the point of the film. The "Brits" don't keep a stiff upper lip, and the cooperation between them and the Nazis is shocking. The documentary footage of Nazi soldiers parading around London etc appears ever so real. The awesome photography makes up for the weak plot and main character. A must-see.

The Battle of Algiers is another such film which mixes documentary with drama.