When Monty Bodkin returns home to England after a year in America, his absence has strengthened his resolve to claim the hand in marriage of his intended, the hockey-playing Gertrude Butterwick. However, his association with an overweight Hollywood movie mogul, his redoubtable wife, and even more formidable stepdaughter sets the scene for complications. Add to this potpourri the piquant seasonings of a third-rate private detective, a devious pair of confidence tricksters, and a string of pearls, and the course of true love certainly won't run smoothly for Monty.