The timeless tale of the crook Harold Hill and his attempt to swindle the town of River City, Iowa. Hill tries to convince the townspeople if they buy their children musical instruments from him, he can form them into a top-notch marching band.

However, Hill's efforts are thwarted by the most unlikely of sources, a lonely librarian named Marian Paroo, whom Hill falls for. Their subsequent romance, and Hill's realization that money might not be the most important thing in the world, makes for a musical that is timeless.