Rich Joanna Stayton (Goldie Hawn) has always gotten what she wanted and now she wants a huge closet for all her shoes on her yacht. Dean Prioffitt (Kurt Russell) takes on the challange even though he knows he will regret it because the money is too good to pass up and his single parent home with four children is always in need. After putting in so much time and work and taking all of Joanna's bad mouthing, she sets sail without paying for the job. Karma has a way of catching up with the bad things people do in life and Joanna ends up falling overboard and when she is rescued, she has amnesia. Dean sees his chance to get even and goes to "claim" his bride from the authorities, bringing her home to his messy house and wild children. They need a mother and Dean needs a wife. In the meantime, Joanna's husband, who didn't claim her, Grant Slayton III (Edward Herrmann) discovers he needs Joanna and goes about getting her back.