Academy Award winner Susan Hayward stars as an ambitious, intelligent woman married to an easygoing Southern politician, who's long on charm but short on brains. Ada Gillis (Hayward) uses ambition, intelligence and skill to engineer her husband, Bo's (Dean Martin) rise to the office of governor of a Southern state. But once Bo is in office, she continues--as the power behind the man--her battle to hold onto their gains against ruthless and corrupt opponents.