Sheridan Whiteside, New York critic, lecturer, wit, radio orator, and intimate friend of the great and near great, slips and falls on the icy doorstep of the prominent Stanley family during publicity stop over. For the next six weeks the convalescing curmudgeon interferes, blackmails, lies and monopolizes everyone and everything from the confinement of the Stanley living room. The outrageous antics of this irascible invalid will have you laughing in the aisles.