Plot
Major Foskett, a British Army psychologist, assembles four soldiers for a testing task: Sergeant Major McGregor (complete with kilt and bearskin), Captain Tabasco, Sergeant Clegg (a father of nine), Staff Sergeant Mansfield and United States Air Force Lieutenant Morton. They have their initiative tested in a scavenger hunt. Their first task is to escape a maze. Tabasco orders up a helicopter to take him out and two others take a ride, but Clegg is left in the maze. They are instructed to obtain six items, supposedly symbols of the British way of life. The reward for the winner is to be fast-tracked for promotion and a ten-day, all-expenses-paid trip around the world for two. Among the feats to be accomplished within 48 hours are escaping from a maze, retrieving a rare rose and the mascot from a Rolls-Royce motorcar, and procurement of a lock of hair and an autograph from a popular French singer. The final challenge involves the famous ''Lutine'' bell from the Underwriting Room of Lloyd's of London. MacGregor arrives at the finish line byCast
* Michael Callan - Lieutenant Timothy Morton * Lionel Jeffries - Sergeant Major Sidney McGregor * Denholm Elliott - Captain Fitzroy Tabasco * Wilfrid Hyde-White - General Lockwood * Bernard Cribbins - Sergeant Clegg * Terry-Thomas - Major Foskett * James Robertson Justice - Librarian *Production
The film was based on an original story by Michael Winner which was inspired by a real army initiative test where soldiers were asked to get as far away as possible from their camp at Catterick. He hired Alan Hackney, who had written several Boulting Brothers screenplays, to write the script. While looking for finance, Winner was approached to make a film with the Dave Clark Five, but Winner did not like the idea. Charles H. Schneer liked the Hackney script and agreed to make it under a deal he had with Columbia and Winner says he suggested John Boorman take over the Dave Clark movie. Winner said Columbia insisted that Michael Callan play a lead role. Winner called the actor "a nice fellow who didn't sell the film in America and didn't help it in England either." Winner hired a cameraman who felt they could not film in the locations that had been chosen, so Winner replaced him with Geoff Unsworth. Johnny Speight did some uncredited writing on the film.Reception
Winner says the film received good reviews but was not popular at the box office. *''TV Guide'' called the film: "Lunacy and laughs galore, with director Winner's gimmicky style much in evidence." * Hal Erickson wrote in ''The New York Times'': "Director Michael Winner was still in his 'mad mod' period when he lensed the wacky goings-on of'' You Must be Joking?'' His ''Death Wish (film series), Death Wish'' pictures of the 1970s were in 1965 as remote as another galaxy."References
External links
* {{Michael Winner 1965 films 1965 comedy films British comedy films 1960s English-language films Films directed by Michael Winner Films scored by Laurie Johnson Films set in England Films set in London Films shot in London Military humor in film Films produced by Charles H. Schneer Films with screenplays by Michael Winner Films about the British Army Greyhound racing films 1960s British films