Clifton Webb and Charles Bickford play the fathers of two children (Anne Francis and William Lundigan, respectively), who plan to elope. When Webb discovers his daughter is missing, he runs around the neighborhood in his pajamas (but manages to wear a hat), is assaulted by dogs, and is picked up by the police as a prowler. He arrives home just in time to take a call from a nosy neighbor warning him that there is a prowler in the neighborhood.
This is Webb's film all the way, with a few dull interludes featuring Francis and Lundigan. Webb and Bickford, along with their wives, Bickford's youngest kid (Tommy Rettig) and Francis' godfather (Reginald Gardner) all end up in Webb's car, in pursuit of the couple. Along the way, Webb steals Rettig's sandwich, throws Bickford's pipe out the car window, and, when Rettig acts up, yells "can someone control that little ba ... barbarian??" Webb and Bickford get to slap each other. Francis and Lundigan call off the wedding, then end up eloping again. Everyone ends up happy. Great closing gag at the fade-out.
This is Webb's film all the way, with a few dull interludes featuring Francis and Lundigan. Webb and Bickford, along with their wives, Bickford's youngest kid (Tommy Rettig) and Francis' godfather (Reginald Gardner) all end up in Webb's car, in pursuit of the couple. Along the way, Webb steals Rettig's sandwich, throws Bickford's pipe out the car window, and, when Rettig acts up, yells "can someone control that little ba ... barbarian??" Webb and Bickford get to slap each other. Francis and Lundigan call off the wedding, then end up eloping again. Everyone ends up happy. Great closing gag at the fade-out.