Salesman John Bower, who rules his family with an iron fist, makes a good living selling carpet sweepers, but his frugality forces his delicate wife Susan to work too hard. His son Junior wants to become an engineer like his uncle, but John, who did not attend college and resents all college graduates, insists that he come into the business with his father. John and Susan's daughter Connie returns from a vacation engaged to Gary Lee, the scion of wealthy vacuum cleaner manufacturers. Gary is a lawyer and his father is also a college man. Susan, expecting trouble when John learns of the engagement, suggests that Gary and his parents all come to dinner that evening and she will slip the news to him then. Meanwhile, John is facing a large delinquent income tax payment. The tax assessor points out that most of the payment is a penalty which could have been avoided if the miserly John had been willing to hire an accountant. As a result, John leaves the office in a fit of anger, and when he arrives home to find his dinner clothes laid out for him, his anger mounts and he refuses to join Gary's family for dinner. When Mr. and Mrs. Lee arrive, Susan tells them that her husband is working late. At that moment, John discovers a vaccum cleaner that Gary has given to Susan and goes into a rage at having his competitor's product in his house. Embarassed by John's temper, the Lees leave the Bower house and Connie runs to her bedroom, upset. Susan goes to comfort her and when John follows, Susan informs him that she wants a divorce. The excitement is too much for Susan, however, and she faints. Dr. Mark Stone is called and informs John that Susan needs a specialist. Susan's condition forces John to recognize the folly of his ways and realize how much he loves his family. The family then reconciles and after Susan recovers, John hires Gary to straighten out his income taxes.