In an impoverished neighborhood of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, unemployed journalist Jack Brown learns from his wife, Angela, that he risks losing his house if he cannot make his payments. Although he reaches out to his repossessor friend for help, he realizes that he needs to find a job, and rides his bicycle to the office of business tycoon and Bugle newspaper owner, U. S. Bates. Before entering the building, Jack holds a door open for Fancy, Bates’s ditzy young wife. During his meeting, one of Bates’s employees, Mr. Morehouse, suggests he get a job at the Bugle, but Jack insists the paper has already denied his many efforts to work there because Bates refuses to hire African Americans. Desperate, Jack accepts a job working as a “cleaning lady,” which requires him to serve food at Bates’s dinner meetings and vacuum his department store after closing time. That evening, Jack reports to the head housekeeper, Ruby Dee Simpson, who clothes Jack in a maid’s dress, apron, and pantyhose, and sends him into the dining room during the meal. When Jack causes a commotion among the guests, Bates fires him. However, Jack still performs his duties at the department store that night, unaware that Bates’s bratty nine-year-old son, Eric, has arrived to pick out an item from the toy department. After watching Jack play with various items, Eric tells Mr. Morehouse that he wants to purchase Jack as his personal “toy.” Informing Jack of Eric’s wishes, Bates’s men give him money until he agrees to accompany them to the Bates mansion. Eric eats dinner with his overbearing German governess, Fraulein, and tells his father he wants to spend more time with him. Eric gets up from the table and runs to the enormous toy room, which contains a wooden crate with Jack packed inside. As Eric opens the box, Jack explains the situation to Bates. Although initially outraged by his son’s behavior, Bates offers to pay Jack the same rate he pays his reporters in exchange for entertaining Eric until he returns to his mother’s home in Houston, Texas, the following week. Insulted by the arrangement, Jack refuses, but eventually convinces Bates to pay him $2,500. Later, Jack telephones Angela to tell her he will not be returning home. Eric then drives Jack through the house in a miniature car, destroying furniture and knocking over the tray containing Jack’s dinner. Angry, Jack locks Eric in a closet until his father retrieves him. Upstairs, Eric challenges Jack to a game of air hockey, proposing that Jack be allowed to return home with his full salary if he wins. When Eric begins to lose, he stubbornly quits the game. That evening, Jack is humiliated after Fancy introduces him to their dinner party guests as Eric’s “toy,” and threatens to leave. Eric locks him outside, setting off the house security alarm and indoor fire sprinkler system, and Jack returns home. Later, Eric blames Fancy for Jack’s departure and sends Mr. Morehouse to retrieve him. For an additional $10,000, Jack continues to endure Eric’s mischief while gradually teaching the boy how to properly treat his friends. While fishing one afternoon, they find Mr. Morehouse drinking on the riverbank, distraught because Bates forced him to fire an employee for petty reasons. To exact revenge, Jack and Eric compile scandalous information about Bates, Fancy, and the household staff to print as an exposé in the Bugle. While printing the issues, Jack and Eric are arrested, but manage to escape. After reading the story, Bates angrily accuses Jack of libel, but offers him a job as a newspaper reporter. Eric criticizes Jack for considering working for his horrible father, but Jack insists he needs the money. The next day, Bates invites Louisiana State Senator Newcomb to his estate for a fundraising event, secretly financing the Ku Klux Klan. Offended, Jack and Eric ride motorbikes through the festivities, collapsing multiple tents and frightening the party guests. Bates chases them in a golf cart, but drives into the swimming pool. That night, Bates thanks Jack for saving him from drowning, and Jack encourages Bates to be more affectionate with his son. After Jack goes home, Bates attempts to speak openly with Eric before he returns to Houston, offering to take him on a vacation to Europe. Once at the airport, however, Eric jumps into a taxi and flees to Jack’s house. Eric begs to stay with Jack, who encourages the boy to give his father a chance. When Bates arrives, father and son embrace and declare their mutual love. Bates renews Jack’s job offer and promises to allow him to see Eric during his next visit. After they leave, one of Fancy’s wealthy friends arrives to ask Jack if he would consider disciplining their son, causing Jack to run away in fear.