Captain Ambrose comes from a long line of distinguished sailors...but is all too susceptible to seasickness. After the war, he buys himself a nautical command on shore; a decrepit amusement pier at the British resort town Sandcastle-on-Sea, whose prim town council has outlawed arcade games as a form of gambling! Running the pier like a naval vessel, the captain's determination to make it a modern, going concern meets steady opposition. But with an unexpected new ally, he pursues a remarkable scheme to liberate his "ship" from land authorities...

Classic British comedy adapted from a James Thurber story about a tweed manufacturer's elderly accountant who devises a plan to save the company from an American takeover bid. The arrival of an efficiency expert from the States causes enough of a stir but, when it turns out to be a woman, the old-fashioned number cruncher declares war. Man-eating businesswoman, Angela Barrows is sent by her US company to Edinburgh to investigate export opportunities. She meets businessman Robert MacPherson en route and he persuades her to help bring his company into the 20th century. The staff, lead by Mr. Martin, have other ideas and a battle between the old and new business methods breaks out.