The Goose Steps Out is a 1942 Will Hay movie. Bernard Miles and Reg Groves had the idea, Angus MacPhail and John Dighton turned that idea into a screenplay, Basil Dearden and Will Hay share the directing credit. Will co-directed three films with Basil, he might have gone onto direct more of his own films but his failing health ended his career. Cancer and a stroke crippled him but he managed to rally and he hung on until 1949.
The Goose Steps Out is set during the Second World War. Will is William Potts and he turns out to be the exact double of a German spy. That same spy is in British custody and the War Office wants Potts to impersonate the spy. He's to travel to Germany and steal info on a new German secret weapon. In Germany Potts is put to work teaching young German spies all about the UK. Charles Hawtrey, William Hartnell, Peter Ustinov and Barry Morse are cast members I knew.
It's a nice slap in the puss to the Fuhrer and there are some other good jokes too. The film was popular at a time that people were pretty down and it still holds up fairly well. I laughed and was glad to have picked up the DVD. I will have a Will Hay film festival someday.
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