The Day Begins Early

The Day Begins Early follows a single workday in the life of Pet Huggett, played by Petula Clark, as she takes part in the 1948 shooting of "Here Come the Huggetts". Rather than a tight narrative, the film moves through rehearsals, costume fittings, camera setups and informal exchanges, assembling a sequence of behind-the-scenes moments. Pet shows her professional side at the microphone and a more relaxed, homey side when she drops by family members between takes, so the mood stays warm and chatty. Small comic incidents and the rhythms of studio life provide the shape of the film, offering a casual portrait of a young performer and the people who surround her on set.

Directed by Ken Annakin and created by Muriel Box, the picture was released in 1950. It stars Petula Clark with Kathleen Harrison, Jack Warner, Jane Hylton and Susan Shaw, familiar faces from the Huggett films who provide the familial chemistry viewers expect.

There are no notable Oscar or BAFTA nominations connected with this title, and it did not register as an awards season presence. Its appeal has been more archival than institutional, valued by collectors and historians for what it records about a working day in the British studio system rather than for trophy recognition.

The Day Begins Early has a modest cultural footprint, but it matters to fans of Petula Clark and to students of postwar British cinema. It helped sustain interest in the Huggett characters and preserves a stage of Clark's career before she became known for pop hits. For viewers curious about film production rituals of the era, it functions as a useful time capsule.

Critical reaction has tended to be lukewarm, matching its average rating, with reviewers calling it an amiable if slight piece. The comedy centers on everyday humor, workplace camaraderie and family interplay, and the themes highlight how ordinary routines and familiar personalities carried audience appeal in postwar Britain.