Sheridan Whiteside (Monty Woolley) is a famous radio personality, who is invited to the house of a widely known Ohio family of Stanley, in order to have dinner with them but falls after slipping on the steps of their house. The embarrassing episode resulted in him breaking his hip, which forced him to recuperate in the Stanley's house during the Christmas holidays. However, much to the household's surprise, immediately after Sheridan settles down at the master bedroom he manages to dominate the lives of the residents in a short span of time. Meanwhile, Sheridan's assistant named Maggie Cutler (Bette Davis) unfortunately has eyes for the local newspaperman named Bertram H. 'Bert' Jefferson (Richard Travis). While he is monopolizing the people around him, he later finds out that he is well and is able to leave the Stanley's abode but Sheridan needs to find a way so Maggie will stay with him.