In Panama, a conspiracy is brewing to nullify the Panama Treaty, which stipulates that control of the canal will be handed over to the Panamanians in 1999. The good-natured tailor Harry Pendel is coerced by British spy Andy Osnard to work for the intelligence service. He is supposed to lure the American military into doing the dirty work—namely, to reoccupy Panama and declare the treaty null and void. However, Pendel has a completely different goal in mind.