Navy nurse Helen North (Lucille Ball) & Naval officer Frank Beardsley (Henry Fonda) are both widowed, & when they meet discover that this is not the only thing they have in common. Both have large families
- she has eight children, he ten
- & when they fall in love & decide to wed this causes the first problems. The North & Beardsley offspring are extremely resentful of each other, & set out to do whatever they can to sabotage their parents' imminent union.