Arthur 2: On the Rocks

Five years after the previous film, Arthur Bach still revels in practical jokes, especially at the expense of his new assistant Fairchild. He continues to miss Hobson deeply, and the weight of responsibility lingers behind his carefree facade.

A doctor informs Linda she cannot have children. Facing that reality, they decide to pursue adoption, turning to Mrs. Canby as the potential mother. Arthur's ongoing alcoholism remains a concern as they start planning.

Arthur learns that the Bach family company has merged with Burt Johnson, and he is told he can keep the fortune only if he divorces Linda and marries Burt's daughter, Susan. He refuses, valuing Linda's companionship over wealth. The revelation sets the plot on a collision course with the Johnsons.

With Arthur's refusal, the couple's wealth evaporates and they are cut off from the fortune. They move in with Linda’s father, Ralph, while Linda resumes her job as a waitress to make ends meet. The couple begins a precarious struggle to rebuild their lives.

Burt Johnson buys the building that houses Arthur and Linda, forcing them to leave. The loss of their home intensifies their financial and emotional strain as they face life without a safety net. The Johnsons’ power move marks a turning point in their fortunes.

The couple moves into a squalid apartment while Arthur tries to sober up enough to find work. He eventually lands a job at a hardware store, but Burt purchases the store and fires him. The humiliation and desperation push Arthur toward renewed sobriety.

Susan visits and tells Linda that she should leave Arthur so she can have children. Linda, torn between love and fear for Arthur, chooses to return to her father’s home. The couple's fragile bond is strained as they confront incompatible desires.

After Linda's departure, Arthur descends into alcohol again and ends up living on the streets. At his lowest point, he sees Hobson in a vision who urges him not to give up because he will have a son to raise.

Guided by his grandmother Martha, Arthur learns that Burt has many enemies and a history of fraud and extortion. He seeks out those harmed by Burt and gathers information that could topple Burt's schemes. This knowledge galvanizes him to take action.

Arthur sneaks onto Burt's yacht to confront him and demand that he leave Linda and Arthur alone. Burt and his allies dismiss the allegations as expired with no proof, then a fight breaks out when Arthur strikes Burt; Burt pulls a revolver, but Susan defends Arthur and demands the money be returned.

Arthur tells Linda that he has retrieved Burt's money and that the adoption can proceed. Mrs. Canby arrives with the couple's newly adopted baby girl, bringing a glimmer of relief after the earlier turmoil.

Although Arthur hoped for a son as Hobson foretold, Linda reveals she is pregnant. The couple now anticipates both an adopted child and a biological child, renewing their hope for the future.

The couple returns to their restored life together, and Fairchild plays a prank on Arthur for the first time in years. Arthur moves Fairchild into Hobson's old room, symbolically closing Hobson's chapter and embracing a new family legacy.