In an attempt to resurrect the slapstick comedy of Laurel and Hardy or The Marx Brothers, Arthur (Stanley Tucci) and Maurice (Oliver Platt) team-up as two out-of-work actors who accidentally stowaway on a ship to hide from a drunken, belligerent lead actor who has sworn to kill them for belittling his talents. Of course, the lead actor end up on the ship as well. Also, madman Voltri, First Mate (Tony Shalhoub) plots the destruction of the ship, and Happy Franks (Steve Buscemi) is a depressed, suicidal lounge singer.