Roughly five years after the events of
the first film, Arthur Bach enjoys playing practical jokes on his new assistant, a friendly but uptight man named Fairchild, but still deeply misses Hobson. Arthur's wife Linda Marolla is told by a doctor that she cannot have children. The two decide to adopt a child instead from a woman named Mrs. Cynthia Canby, but Arthur's continuing
alcoholism is a cause for concern. Arthur is informed by his father Stanford that the family's company has undergone a business merger with Burt Johnson, the vengeful billionaire father of Susan, Arthur's ex-fiancée. The Bach family will keep their wealth and way of life, but only if Arthur is cut off from his $750,000,000 fortune. Arthur confronts Burt about this, and Burt tells him that he can have his money back on two conditions: divorce Linda and marry Susan. Arthur refuses, as he loves Linda more than his lavish lifestyle. Now broke, Arthur and Linda move in with Linda's father, Ralph, and Linda gets back her old job as a waitress. Things are going well at first, but Burt is determined to make Susan happy, so he buys the building they are living in and forces Arthur and Linda to leave. Now homeless, Arthur and Linda move into a squalid apartment and Arthur tries to sober up to find a job, knowing that bad finances could ruin any chance they have of adopting a baby. After the owner takes pity on him, Arthur finds work at a hardware store, but Burt buys the store and has Arthur fired. Susan arrives at Arthur and Linda's apartment and tells Linda that if she really wants what's best for Arthur, then she should leave him, since Susan can have children, and Linda cannot. Realizing that Arthur is suffering because he is unwilling to let her go, Linda moves back in with Ralph and leaves Arthur a note telling him that he should marry Susan and live a comfortable life. Crestfallen at having lost Linda and still unwilling to marry Susan, Arthur begins drinking again and ends up living on the streets. At his lowest point, Arthur sees a vision of Hobson telling him that he cannot give up, because he knows Arthur will have a son, and Arthur must be there for him. Determined to get even with the Johnsons, Arthur gets sober again and learns from his grandmother, Martha, that Burt has made a lot of enemies that have dirt on him. Arthur meets with several people whose lives have been ruined by Burt, and learns of a
fraud and
extortion scheme that Burt was responsible for. Arthur sneaks onto Burt's yacht and confronts him, demanding that they leave him and Linda alone. Burt and his friends laugh at Arthur, freely admitting that the allegations are true, but the
statute of limitations has expired and the evidence is worthless. Arthur punches Burt in the gut, and Burt attempts to kill Arthur with a
revolver. However, realizing that money cannot get her everything, Susan defends Arthur and tells Burt to give Arthur his money back or she will tell her mother about his affairs. Burt reluctantly agrees. Arthur seeks out Linda and tells her that he has gotten his money back and secured the adoption of a child. Mrs. Canby arrives with their adopted child, a baby girl. Arthur is confused because Hobson had told him he would have a son. However, Linda surprises Arthur with the news that she is pregnant. The two return to their home and Fairchild plays a practical joke on Arthur for the first time. Arthur moves Fairchild into a new room, the room that used to belong to Hobson. == Cast ==