In New York City, the snobbish Madame Polly Rochay runs an exclusive beauty parlor that specializes in weight reduction. When she learns that her sister, Marie Truffle, is destitute, Polly Rochay decides to bring Elmer Truffle and their three children—Vivian Truffle, Jerry Truffle, and Marty Truffle—from South Bend, Indiana, to live with them in the city. Joyce Roche, Polly’s socialite daughter, objects to this intrusion, arguing that the Truffles are too unrefined to join the Rochays. Yet Polly believes in family loyalty, and stubbornly welcomes the clan into their upscale home.
As the Truffles settle in, Polly puts Marie Truffle to work at the salon, while Elmer hunts for a steady job as a mail carrier. Joyce resents the presence of the ill-mannered kin, and Polly finds herself taking sides with her daughter when the meddlesome Marie Truffle causes trouble—one mishap even results in Polly getting locked inside the steam room, a moment that heightens the tension between rival families. The sisters’ quarrel spills over to their daughters, and Polly bluntly demeans Vivian’s prospects, claiming that she’ll never meet the same caliber of men Joyce does. The air grows thick with snobbery and sarcasm as the two households clash over class, manners, and romance.
The situation intensifies when Joyce goes out on a date with her sophisticated, playboy sweetheart, Johnnie Beasley. Polly Rochay boasts that Johnnie is the superior catch, while Marie Truffle counters that Vivian Truffle is dating someone from “one of the oldest families in South Bend.” Johnnie and Joyce’s evening together ends with Vivian meeting Johnnie and making an immediate impression on him, stirring jealousy in Joyce. The next day, Vivian calmly accepts a lunch date with Johnnie, hoping Joyce will be there too.
Meanwhile, Marie Truffle stirs the pot through a string of small missteps in the salon, and the brewing feud between the cousins reaches a breaking point. After spurning Tommy Haverly—Vivian’s own beau from South Bend—Vivian continues to pursue Johnnie, and Joyce’s suspicions about her sister’s influence grow stronger. The simmering tension finally boils over when Marie’s interference pushes Joyce to the brink, and Polly confronts the reality that her pride may be blinding her to her daughter’s happiness.
Three months pass, and the Truffles have carved out a life of their own, while Johnnie has been dating Vivian and will escort her to a party. On the night of Vivian and Johnnie’s date, Joyce seeks Marie’s help, admitting she’s in “terrible trouble” and hoping for a way out of the mess her family has created. Moved by the imploring plea, Marie agrees to step in. She goes to Johnnie’s place to confront him, armed with a Civil War revolver that, as she quips, “hasn’t worked since Bull Run.”
> hasn’t worked since Bull Run
At Johnnie’s, Vivian flees as Johnnie and her mother’s footsteps approach the door. Marie enters and accuses the young playboy of turning Joyce’s head with luxury and status, then claims that she’s not worthy of Joyce’s love and that Johnnie should marry her niece instead. Johnnie, who admits his actions might offend Joyce’s father, agrees to marry Marie’s niece. He declares his intentions, but the confession leaves Joyce heartbroken—yet the wedding between Joyce and Johnnie becomes a turning point, a moment of reckoning for both families.
Polly, initially unaware of Marie’s orchestration, phones to celebrate Joyce’s marriage and to remind Marie that Vivian should have “stayed in her own class.” Yet Joyce, desiring reconciliation between her mother and aunt, reveals everything and explains Marie’s involvement. The revelation softens Polly’s posture, and she visits her sister to express gratitude, ultimately forgiving Marie. In the end, the families find a fragile, but hopeful, harmony, proving that love and forgiveness can bridge even the widest social divides.
