Matt Drayton (Spencer Tracy) and his wife Christina Drayton (Katherine Hepburn) are ecstatic to hear that their daughter Joey (Katharine Houghton) is returning from abroad with her fiancé, the respectable Dr. John Prentice (Sidney Poitier). They are planning a great dinner to meet John and his parents. Mr. Prentice (Roy Glenn) and his wife Mrs. Prentice (Beah Richards) will be meeting Joey for the first time as well. The Draytons are surprised when John turns out to be an African American. The Prentices are equally surprised with Joey. John and Joey are planning on flying to Europe that night to get married, but John secretly tells Mr. Drayton that he will not marry Joey without his approval. The rest of the night is spent with the Drayton and Prentice fathers, who are staunchly against the marriage, deciding whether or not to consent. All the while they are being swayed by their wives whom have only their children’s happiness in mind.
