During the Suez Crisis of 1956, two young clerks at the stuffy Foreign Office in Whitehall display little interest in the decline of the British Empire. To their eyes, it can hardly compete with girls, rock music, and the intrigue of romantic entanglements.
Private Mick Hopper passes the day in the War Office dreaming of becoming a drummer. Meanwhile, new recruit Private Francis Francis is dancing to a different beat...
Francis' worst fears about who lives upstairs with the beautiful Sylvia Berry are confirmed, and he confides all to Mick Hopper - with disastrous results.
Hopper continues to fantasise at work and discusses women and love with Francis. When the red phone rings, Hopper is convinced the message is about the Suez crisis.
Hopper is dreaming of Lisa. Francis is dreaming of Sylvia. And all hell breaks loose down at the Hammersmith Palais.
Sylvia despairs at Francis and is angry at Atterbow. Meanwhile, Hopper gets ready for his night out with Lisa.
Francis has a confession to make to his family: Vickie is horrified, Fred just laughs. Elsewhere, Sylvia visits Harold Atterbrow in hospital.
