The usually quiet, orderly - if not overly strict - Bilchester barracks of the army is thrown into disarray when an American film company appears on its doorstep.

Headed by boisterous producer/director Ed Waggermeyer, the unit is working on his latest picture: a sci-fi/military action feature pitting the British military against a Martian invasion. Having been working in the area for a number of weeks already, the camp's adjutant, Bill Harper, invites Waggermeyer to talk to his superiors about filming on site and using some of the troops. Waggermeyer, however, takes this as a green light to descend upon the barracks with his entire cast and crew and prepare to begin filming immediately - after all, whose palm cannot be greased with a few Hollywood-funded pounds?

Colonel Bellamy is not immediately disposed to grant permission, but when one of the feature's leading ladies catches his eye, he relents - although the surprise appearance at the base of their Lieutenant General could yet put paid to the plan!

Throw in a couple of privates staffing the officers' mess; a love triangle with Harper at the centre; and a band playing the same single tune for weeks on end, and the perfect concoction for mayhem is about to be unleashed.