Former Yale All-American fullback Tom Walker gave up his football career to become a reverend and now returns to his hometown of Pittsfield in order to start his career under the guidance of his late father's close friend, the bishop. At the same time, Tom's former sweetheart, Carol Maynard, now a famous Manhattan model, visits Pittsfield to spend her vacation with her uncle, Homer Purdy. Though she has been sending Homer money to pay off the mortgage on his boardinghouse, it soon becomes obvious that the money has only been used to support the array of lovable crackpots who live there. When Tom rents one of Homer's rooms, he and Carol quickly rekindle their romance. Soon, Tom learns that Wilbur J. Birch, the lay church leader, is selling the old church property and plans to donate the piece of land on which Homer's boardinghouse stands for the new church. Knowing that this will mean the foreclosure of Homer's house, Tom cannot bring himself to tell Carol. Eventually, however, Carol finds out, and though Homer claims to have faith that his rich friend, Jim Allison, will help him out, he soon collapses under the strain. That night, Tom is reinvigorated when he hears his father's voice challenging him to solve the problem. The next day, Carol, who mistrusts Tom, receives the $3,000 they need for the mortgage payment, and Homer, assuming that Allison has helped them, recuperates. Birch refuses to take her money, however, and Carol is about to give up when hotelier Mr. Bernouti arrives and reveals Birch's plan to make a hefty profit from the sale of the old church land as the hotel site. Carol realizes Tom is guiltless and rushes to Birch's office to let him know she will ruin his reputation if he refuses to rescind his plan. Birch agrees, and soon after, Allison tells them he did not send the money. Realizing that Tom had secretly given them his savings, Carol accepts his marriage proposal.