A member of the English upper class dies, leaving his estate and his business to an American, whom he thinks is his son who was lost as a baby and then found again. An Englishman who thinks he is an Indian comes to believe that he is actually the heir. He comes to hate the American who is his boss, his friend, and the man who has stolen the woman after whom he lusts.

John Cleese is hilarious as the descendant of Sherlock Holmes in this modern detective drama of international power politics and intrigue. Unlike his illustrious grandfather however, he only succeeds in bungling every job he organizes. Also stars Arthur Lowe as the "bionic" grandson of Dr. Watson, Stratford Johns as the Commissioner of Police, and Connie Booth as Mrs. Hudson.

11岁的安妮是个孤儿，住在汉尼甘小姐（Miss Hannigan）孤儿院里，汉尼甘小姐一直以欺凌和恐吓的方式管理着孤儿们。孩子们都希望能够尽快被新父母领养，从而过上幸福生活。安妮决定出去寻找亲生父母，途中遇到了一只友好的狗珊迪（Sandy）和因为大萧条而无家可归的人们。后来她被人送回孤儿院，富翁奥利弗爸爸（Oliver “Daddy”）的助理格蕾丝（Grace ）把她安排到他富丽堂皇的家，陪他过圣诞。.
尽管最开始，安妮和爸爸彼此很不适应，但随着接触加深，他们喜欢上了对方。奥利弗想收养她，安妮却坚信她的亲生父母回来找她。在罗斯福总统和夫人的帮助下，奥利弗在广播里登了寻人启示，重金寻找安妮的父母。汉尼甘小姐，她哥哥鲁斯特（Rooster）及其市侩的女友莉莉决定设计装扮成安妮父母，骗得奖金。 他们的诡计被揭穿了，同时他们坦白安妮父母已去世，于是奥利弗爸爸和安妮真正成了一家人。