When he becomes a widower, Tom Gerrin (Jack Lemmon) moves in with his son and daughter-in-law. But he begins to realise that he has lost his spark, and feels he has been living his life through other people for too long. When Marco, a charismatic circus ringmaster, comes into his life, he sees that it's time to move on. The encounter gives him a new lease of life and hope, spurring him on to travel to California and re-ignite a connection from his youth.