Roger Hobbs [James Stewart] is an overworked banker who, after a recent vacation, faces the chaos of a full family gathering when his wife Peggy Hobbs [Maureen O'Hara] arranges a seaside holiday instead of a quiet overseas escape. The trip pulls in their two grown daughters Susan Carver [Natalie Trundy] and Janie Grant [Lili Gentle], their teenage daughter Katey Hobbs [Lauri Peters], their youngest son Danny Hobbs [Michael Burns], as well as Brenda the family cook [Minerva Urecal], Stan Carver [Josh Peine], Byron Grant [John Saxon], and their three grandchildren—Peter Carver [Peter Oliphant], Peewee and Junior. What begins as a sun-soaked retreat soon reveals the friction and tenderness beneath a big, loving clan.
The vacation home itself is a character of its own: a dilapidated beach house with rotting steps, a stubbornly shared telephone line, and plumbing that seems to defy reliability at every turn. The setting becomes a running joke and a test of patience as the family negotiates space, privacy, and affection in cramped quarters that fray under pressure. The physical clumsiness of the place mirrors the emotional weather shift that keeps sweeping through the group.
Inside this imperfect Eden, each member contends with their own anxieties. Danny Hobbs clings to television as if it were a lifeline, while Katey, now self-conscious about her braces, withdraws from activities both inside and outside the house. The charismatic but restless grandson keeps Roger at a distance, a reminder that generations don’t always click. Stan, as the unemployed son-in-law, strains his relationship with Susan, whose belief in not saying no to the kids creates its own brand of domestic volatility. Janie is married to Byron Grant, a windbag college professor whose ideas about psychology hover between eccentric and tedious, complicating any attempt at real connection. Peggy, watching the chaos, worries about the family’s state, while Roger quietly steps in, balancing restraint with action and insisting the children learn to handle problems themselves.
One notable thread follows Roger’s quiet diplomacy. He nudges Katey toward a teen dance, even enlisting the help of a handsome admirer, Joe Carmody [Fabian], who pays attention to her and, in turn, returns the favor by returning the money Roger offered—an awkward but telling sign of the family economy in miniature. When television breaks, Roger pivots to a deeper bond with Danny, taking him on a foggy boating trip that unexpectedly strengthens their father–son connection. Byron’s flirtations with a nearby neighbor are sternly checked by Roger, who bluntly tells him she is not a suitable match, underscoring Roger’s belief that some battles are better fought with caution and care than with bravado.
As the days unfold, Stan’s potential new job cast and the couple they entertain for a few days loom large. The visitors are prim and proper, yet their sole pastime—bird-watching—reveals more about their personalities than their polished facades. A chaotic scene unfolds around a hot shower and a broken door lock, blending physical comedy with a meditation on how fragile appearances can be when tested by family life.
Yet through every disagreement, misstep, and miscommunication, the core family begins to reconcile. The misunderstandings give way to moments of warmth, and the trials cement a sense of shared history that grows into a plan for the future. Even the grumpier bonds soften as the house buzzes with laughter, confessions, and a few stubborn apologies. By the time the vacation ends, the family is not only closer but also certain that this very house—imperfect and full of memories—will be booked again for the next summer, a hopeful pledge to return to a place where love, in all its messy forms, endures.
