You Must Be Joking! *** (1965, Terry-Thomas, Lionel Jeffries, Bernard Cribbins, Wilfrid Hyde White, James Robertson Justice, Michael Callan, Gabriella Licudi, Denholm Elliott, Lee Montague, Leslie Phillips) – Classic Movie Review 7,769

Michael Winner’s 1965 British black and white comedy You Must Be Joking! stars Terry-Thomas as Major Foskett, a psychologist who gets oddball officers to perform an initiative test to find the best soldier.

Director Michael Winner in his happy early Sixties comedy days turns in a pleasantly amusing Frank Launder-Sidney Gilliat-style satirical comedy about life in the British army in the era of swinging England.

The good-humoured, traditional 1965 British black and white comedy You Must Be Joking!, based on a story by Michael Winner and screenwriter Alan Hackney, stars Terry-Thomas as Major Foskett, a British Army psychologist who gets a gang of oddball officers to perform an initiative test to collect a selection of esoteric items, and thus to find the best soldier.

The best thing about this up-and-down zany farce is the zesty comedy performances from a rich clutch of Sixties stalwarts, including some magic names. It also stars Lionel Jeffries, Bernard Cribbins, Wilfrid Hyde White, James Robertson Justice, Michael Callan, Gabriella Licudi as Annabelle Nash, Denholm Elliott, Lee Montague and Leslie Phillips.

The story line has four people each doing six tasks linked to a scavenger hunt, creating 24 unconnected comedy vignettes, linked by British identity items such as wall flying ducks, an English rose, a Rolls-Royce Spirit of Ecstasy, a greyhound race electric hare, and the Lutine Bell.

Also in the cast are Patricia Viterbo, Irene Handl, Richard Wattis, Miles Malleson, Gwendolyn Watts, Clive Dunn, Tracy Reed, James Villiers, Graham Stark, Ronald Howard, Arthur Lowe, Peter Bull, David Jacobs, Norman Vaughan, Lance Percival, Peter Barkworth, Richard Caldicott, Peter Gilmore, Stanley Meadows, Jill Mai Meredith, Marianne Stone, Ed Bishop and Norman Mitchell.

Ah, so many stars! Terry-Thomas has a ‘Guest Star’ credit, while James Robertson Justice and Leslie Phillips receive ‘Special Appearance of’ credits, and Gabriella Licudi and Patricia Viterbo get an ‘Introducing’ credits.

Nikki Van der Zyl is seen seated beside the TV studio producer at the control board, and she also dubs Gabriella Licudi.

It is the final film of national treasure Miles Malleson.

Michael Winner’s story was inspired by a UK army initiative test where soldiers were told to get as far away as possible from their army camp at Catterick barracks. Jan Read worked uncredited on the screenplay, and Johnny Speight also did some uncredited writing.

It was shot at various locations, including RAF Northolt, Ruislip, Middlesex, and a number of central London locations.

Winner recalled that there were favourable reviews but the film was not a hit. He said Columbia Pictures insisted that Michael Callan play a leading role as Lieutenant Tim Morton. He remembered him as ‘a nice fellow who didn’t sell the film in America and didn’t help it in England either.’

Release date: 3 August 1965 (London). It was then released in the UK in September 1965 as the bottom half of a double bill with Cat Ballou (1965).

You Must Be Joking! is directed by Michael Winner, runs 100 minutes, is made by Ameran Films and Charles H Schneer Productions, is released by Columbia Pictures (UK and US), is written by Alan Hackney, based on a story by Michael Winner and Alan Hackney, is shot in black and white  by Geoffrey Unsworth, is produced by Charles H Schneer, is scored by Laurie Johnson, and is designed by Maurice Carter.

Helen Mirren versus Michael Winner

© Derek Winnert 2018 Classic Movie Review 7,769

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