Peter Silverblatt (Charles) is a neurotic Jewish New Yorker living (most unhappily) in Los Angeles. He finds a reason to love California though, when he meets his soul mate -- the beautiful and charming Melanie Branson (Wentworth), a classic southern belle from Georgia. Everything's coming up roses and romance for the young lovebirds until they travel to Georgia to meet Melanie's family, a motley collection of Faulkner-esque characters lead by the manipulative, irascible "Daddy" (Bridges, in one of his final roles). Cultures clash and love hits the rocks as Peter finds himself outnumbered in a bizarre, domestic recreation of the Civil War.