You Must Be Joking!

Michael Callan - Lieutenant Tim Morton
Lionel Jeffries - Sergeant Major McGregor
Denholm Elliott - Captain Tabasco
Wilfrid Hyde-White - General Lockwood
Bernard Cribbins - Sergeant Clegg
James Robertson - Justice Librarian
Gabriella Licudi - Annabelle Nash
Leslie Phillips - Young Husband
Patricia Viterbo - Sylvie Tarnet
Terry-Thomas - Major Foskett
Lee Montague - Staff Sergeant Mansfield
Irene Handl - Elderly Woman
Richard Wattis - Parkins
Miles Malleson - Salesman

Way before his brutal Death Wish series, Michael Winner made a number of wacky mod films with a distinct swinging 60’s influence; this is amongst them. A slapstick comedy in which five men, American representative Morton (Callan), Captain Tabasco (Elliott), Major McGregor (Jeffries), Sergeant Clegg (Cribbins) and Sergeant Mansfield (Montague) have to complete various initiative trials over a 48-hour period. The test is taking place at the behest of zany Army psychologist Major Foskett (Terry-Thomas), who is examining the possibility of transforming soldiers into perfect robotic machines capable of thinking on their toes.

The tasks the officers face include weaving their way through a maze, obtaining a rare rose, retrieving a Silver Lady bonnet emblem from a Rolls-Royce, obtaining a set of ornamental plaster ducks and a lock of hair from gorgeous French singing star Sylvie Tarnet (Patricia Viterbo). After competing a final challenge of stealing the Lloyds Lutine Bell, there is a prize of a round the world trip in store for the soldier who completes the challenge first, but chaos and confusion ensues as each of the men test their capabilities. Morton is the only one of the five men to successfully accomplish all the tasks, but having met the beautiful singer, he turns down the prize, resigns from the service, and heads abroad with the girl.