Down Among The Z-men

2588. DOWN AMONG THE Z MEN (Stand Easy) (1952-England). With THE GOONS (SPIKE MILLIGAN, PETER SELLERS, HARRY SECOMBE). This insanely funny spoof of military bureaucracy brings the audience into the wacky and wonderful world of The Goons, one of the most endearing of all British comedy teams. In this Goon-y adventure, a bowlegged and bewhiskered madcap scientist named Professor Pureheart is working on a formula for a secret atomic weapon. He is traveling through the countryside on his way to the Warwell Military Camp and Atomic Station, where he hopes to perfect his formula and build the weapon. Hot on the trail of the professor is a duo of greedy crooks who want to sleal the valuable formula. They convince a simpleton store clerk named Harry Jones that they are Scotland Yard superintendents who are protecting the scientist. Harry hides in the back of the professor’s truck to keep a watchful eye on his prey because he is the sort who relishes the role of amateur detective. The whole outrageous entourage winds up at Warwell, where the commanding officer (brilliantly played by young Peter Sellers) runs an antic-filled play school for an absurd group of silly-dillies in uniform. There, Harry joins the army and soon is supervising the exercises of a whole battalion of beautiful women. Forget logic. Forget propriety. This hilarious satire will keep you in slitches and leave you calling out for more Goony escapades. 71 minutes Comedy