Life in the easygoing Carribean is hard on Police Chief Xavier Quinn (Washington). Dubbed "The Mighty Quinn" by sarcastic islanders and nagged by a wife who'd rather he were babysitting, Quinn is suddenly thrust into action when his childhood friend Maubee (Robert Townsend) is accused of murder.

Forced to search for his elusive friend, Quinn meets up with a colourful array of suspects, including the dead man's beautiful mistress (Rogers) who dreams of being a lounge singer, an eccentric voodoo sorceress with snakes in her parlour (Esther Rolle) and a mysterious American visitor with dubious intentions...