Princess Margaret (Virginia Mayo) flees her father to marry a commoner, but is abducted by notorious pirate The Hook (Victor McLaglen). Also on board the pirate ship is The Great Sylvester (Bob Hope), a cowardly actor who, disguised as a gypsy woman, was kidnapped by The Hook's tattoo artist, Featherhead (Walter Brennan). Dismayed to learn Sylvester is a man, Featherhead forces him to steal The Hook's treasure map, and take both it and Margaret to a distant island so he can later claim them.