Jerry Lewis plays Norman Phiffer, a proud man in a humble life, who doesn’t know that his girlfriend, Barbara, is heir to the Tuttle Department Store dynasty. Mrs. Tuttle, Barbara’s mother, is determined to split the two lovers, and hires Norman in an attempt to humiliate him enough that Barbara leaves him. Will she ruin their love, or will he ruin her store?

This was Jerry Lewis’ answer to the classic Cinderella story. When his father dies, poor Fella is left at the mercy of his snobbish stepmother and her two no-good sons, Maximilian and Rupert. As he slaves away for his nasty step-family, Maximilian and Rupert attempt to find a treasure Fella’s father has supposedly hidden on the estate. Meanwhile, hoping to restore her dwindling fortunes, the stepmother plans a fancy ball in honor of the visiting Princess Charmein whom she hopes will marry Rupert. Eventually, Fella’s Fairy Godfather shows up to convince him that he has a shot at winning the Princess himself.

To save his career, an ad man wants a sex symbol to endorse a lipstick. But she wants something too: he has to pretend to be her new lover.