This is a patriotic war film shot at a time of National Emergency, so don't expect any complexity in the characters of the GI, the Sergeant and the Land Girl. All are fine citizens - as of course one would expect that pillar of the community the local magistrate to be...
The plot, such as it is, is bizarre. A small village in Kent is being terrorised by a madman who puts glue in women's hair during the blackout. The GI, the Sergeant and the Land Girl resolve to find the culprit.
All roads lead to Canterbury, where the Cathedral oversees the resolution of the mystery and of the disappointments in the characters' lives, before the soldiers set off on a more dangerous pilgrimage.
In the end, the plot is unbelievable, the character of Culpepper the magistrate unfathomable, the symbolism of the Cathedral laid on with a trowel - yet, why is this such a satisfying film? I think that there is a spirit which shines through this film - an optimism, a determination. The Land Girl has lost her Pilot fiancée, she grieves yet she is not downhearted. The GI loves and misses his homeland but can compare timber preparation techniques with the local blacksmith and find commonality. The English Countryside is ravishing throughout.
This film subtly highlights the values being fought for, the personal values, the village way of life, the spirit exemplified by the history of the Canterbury Pilgrims and of the Cathedral itself. And it is by tapping into the British psyche so deeply that even today it resonates which makes it a great film.
