Back-Room Boy

Betty ends their engagement because Pilbeam spends too much time at the BBC making weather pips. After being reprimanded for neglecting his duties, he tries to resign, but the request is refused. He is then posted to a remote Scottish lighthouse to file weather reports in order to avoid all women.

Locals warn that isolation on the island will drive him mad within a month, a fate linked to a mermaid curse and the fate of his predecessors. He decides to proceed anyway, determined to carry out his assignment. Upon arrival, most of his baggage disappears, signaling trouble ahead.

As soon as he lands, Pilbeam realizes he is not as isolated as he expected. He meets Jane, a young girl who stowed away on the boat, and Bobbie, a model and the sole survivor of a torpedoed ship. Their presence hints at the human drama unfolding at the lighthouse.

Pilbeam's radio vanishes, cutting off all external contact for him. Bobbie reports seeing a man tied up in a cupboard, who seems to vanish when she shows him to Pilbeam. The eerie events heighten the mystery surrounding the lighthouse.

Another boatload of women, along with some crewmen, arrives from Bobbie's ship, making the lighthouse crowded and tense. The cramped quarters strain relationships and raise the sense of danger. Pilbeam senses the situation is far from ordinary.

During the night, people begin to disappear one by one, leaving Pilbeam anxious to uncover the truth. He investigates the disappearances while the lighthouse becomes a place of fear and rumor. The mystery deepens as answers stay elusive.

Nazi agents have been secretly sweeping the nearby waters for mines and have captured most of the group. They leave Pilbeam free, forcing him to send away a rescue party without arousing suspicion. With the help of Jane's uncle and the remaining women, they plan to turn the tables on their captors.

Pilbeam, Jane's uncle, and the women overpower the captors and tie up the Germans. They seize a German boat and begin their return toward the mainland. The escape marks a turning point as they reclaim control of their fate.

On the return voyage, they encounter an enemy warship hidden in fog. The Germans mistake them for their own spies and order them to guide through a minefield. Their small boat narrowly avoids mines while the warship strikes a mine and sinks.

Pilbeam returns to London a hero, only to find Betty has been given his old pips job. She initially rebuffs him, but then plays Shave and a Haircut to signal reconciliation. He races off to see her, ending the tale with a hopeful reunion.