The Chicago Mafia makes shoeshine man Gino (Don Ameche) an offer: do the time for a murder he didn't commit, and they'll buy him a fishing boat in Sicily. Gino accepts and is placed in the custody of Jerry (Joe Mantegna), a low-level mobster, until the trial. Jerry quickly gets bored with the babysitting detail and decides to treat Gino to a weekend at Lake Tahoe. There, Jerry is recognized, and Gino is mistaken for a big-time crime boss. Both play along until they run afoul of the local mob.