Ivy Moore (Abbey Lincoln), housekeeper to a white family, is growing tired of domestic service and plans to leave the Long Island residence of her employers for big-city living. This sends the children of the household scrambling to find a way to make her stay. Just when it looks like Ivy's about to exit the scene, one of the children finds Jack Parks (Sidney Poitier), a handsome, eligible bachelor who could be a perfect love match for Ivy.