在一个遥远的星球上，一艘坠毁的宇宙飞船上的后代受到了神秘力量的影响，这些力量使他们在短短8天内衰老并死亡。他们还必须住在洞穴里以躲避夜间的严寒和白天的酷热。一个小男孩决心要回到把他们带到那里的那艘船上。但他将如何在剩下的短短时间内完成这一切呢
The main character is Dr. Max Holst, a successful neurosurgeon. One day an intense little man named Steinmetz shows up, who has the real ability to create objects out of thin air, using only his mind. As no one believes him at first, he is held at a ward for mental patients, but manifests the key to his door and escapes. As he has a special interest in Dr. Holst, Steinmetz subsequently invites Holst to his large mansion, which is full of expensive paintings and sculptures, and proves to him that he can in fact materialise objects. Steinmetz’s abilities are evolving by leaps and bounds, and is progressing from being able to create objects only to being able to create living things. His ultimate ambition is to be able to create a human being. He tells Dr. Holst that if he will only perform a certain brain operation on him, Steinmetz will become able to attain his goal. He’s got all the necessary equipment set up in his basement. Dr. Holst, however, is too spooked by the whole thing to agree to this mad scheme, and refuses. Steinmetz then sets about manipulating Holst’s life, to pressure him into performing the operation. By then Steinmetz has become able to create a temporary human being, and in the hope that he can perhaps make his own creation perform the operation, he manifests a doppelganger of Dr. Holst. This double proceeds to take over Dr. Holst’s life, creating chaos for him professionally and personally. And then Dr. Holst starts fighting back. The ending has the dual virtue of being both unexpected and satisfying.
富顿教授（加里·格兰特 Cary Grant 饰）是一位科学家，正在研究一种能够让人返老还童的神奇药物。某一天，富顿用来试验药物的黑猩猩从笼子里逃了出来，在实验室里“大闹天宫”，没想到竟然在误打误撞之下将富顿一直想要研制但始终没有成功的神药给捣鼓了出来。 对此一无所知的富顿在偶然间喝下了这种药物，很快，药效便发挥了作用，富顿一反常态，言行举止俨然一幅二十岁小伙子的模样。秘书路易斯（玛丽莲·梦露 Marilyn Monroe 饰）前来拜访富顿教授，没想到却被他邀请去游泳、溜冰。之后，富顿的妻子爱德华（金格尔·罗杰斯 Ginger Rogers 饰）亦误食了药物，一连串让人忍俊不禁的趣事就此展开。
在不久将来的2025年，奥西讯技术总工艾比·狄克逊，前往修理遏核电设备，根据神秘的线索和一些奇怪行为，艾比对该站两名员工的神智和身份产生了怀疑。
神秘的全球性灾难爆发，一位独自驻扎北极的科学家竭力与一群返回地球的宇航员取得联系，他们正要回到惨遭神秘灾难重创的地球。
