Ayoungwoman(DianeHart)arrivesataScottishuniversitytovisitheruncle(JosephTomelty),afamouswriternowemployedasahumbleporter,whowentintohidingduringtheIrishCivilWarsomethirtyyearsearlier.Theprincipaloftheuniversity(PatrickBarr)assumessheishisnewsecretaryandshefallsinwiththis.Aseniorprofessor(DuncanMacrae)startsacampaigntoimprovethemoralsofthestudents,andenlistshispompousson(CharlesHawtrey)inhiscrusade,withfarcicalresults.