On the surface it doesn't seem that Cash McCall, directed by Joseph Pevney, has very much to offer, but it really is a fairly charming little picture. James Garner plays the title character, a very rich businessman who buys up companies, whips them into shape, then turns around and sells them for a profit. Dean Jagger is Grant Austen, owner of Austen Plastics.

Austen is getting older, and has decided to sell his company. He thinks it over, and discusses it with his consultant Gil Clark (Henry Jones) as well as his daughter Lory (Natalie Wood). Gil tells him that he might have a buyer, and thinks he can get two million for the company. The buyer turns out to be none other than Cash McCall.

Austen and McCall set up a meeting, and Grant asks Lory to come along since she owns ten percent of the company. It is now that we learn that Cash and Lory are previously acquainted, and Lory seems to be holding some great animosity towards Cash. Turns out Lory and Cash met one another the previous summer in Maine; Lory had fallen in love with Cash but he rejected her. While Grant is off calling his lawyer, Cash tries to explain that he had made terrible mistake in Maine and that he is in love with her, but she won't listen and storms off.

The sale goes as planned, and Cash is finally able to tell Lory his true feelings for her, but it's not smooth sailing yet. Since Cash is a very wealthy and rather famous businessman (think today’s Donald Trump), there are a lot of dirty rumors going around and a lot of people who want to destroy his credibility. One of these men meets up with Grant Austen, and informs him that Cash has already sold his company for three million, and that he has been ripped off. This sends Grant into a tirade, threatening lawsuit against Cash for fraud. There is also the assistant manager of the hotel in which Cash lives. This woman, a Mrs. Kennard (Nina Foch), is in love with Cash and a very jealous woman.