In the town of Kocourkov, the town council debates if they should spend money on grand welcome of a man who left the town many years ago and became the supreme commander of an army in some rather insignificant country. He is coming home so let's use the opportunity to boost the image of the leadership before the coming elections. The downside is that he is the son of a poacher, Jalovec. who is in prison. In the prison in Prague, Jalovec is released and a fraudster Ferdinand Kaplan escapes. Jalovec arrives in Kocourkov and tells the mayor that his son is not coming. But it's too late so the mayor decides to go ahead with the celebration anyway. People would not know the difference. At the festively decorated Kocourkov railway station, Kaplan, who changed into high class civilian clothes arrives. He very quickly gets into his new role. When he is elected mayor thanks to his irresistible eloquence, good things start happening in Kocourkov, mostly with the aim of attracting tourists to the town.