Mr. Scattergood, an American millionaire, and his daughter Kitty are guests of the Maharajah of Rajaputana in his opulent palace. Kitty, a student of anthropology, believes she is there to capture the last savage, the topic of her graduation thesis. But Mr. Scattergood and the Maharajah have arranged the trip to facilitate the marriage they both desire between Kitty and Kodanda, the Crown Prince. The young Prince and Kitty, however, are in complete disagreement. Kitty refuses to marry before finishing her studies. To hasten the marriage, both parents decide to invent a suitable savage. They persuade Abdul, a simple countryman, to play the role for $100,000: one dollar in advance, the other $99,999 to be paid when it is all over. To play the part, Abdul must let his hair and nails grow, and after living in the jungle for a while, let himself be captured by Kitty during one of her expeditions. At first unwilling to accept, Abdul is swayed by his girlfriend Sardula, a maidservant attracted by the large financial reward.

Six months later, Kitty returns from an expedition after capturing Abdul, who – looking ferocious with his long hair and nails – plays his part of the wild man perfectly. Kitty eagerly plans to bring Abdul to the U.S. for display at a zoo. Alone in his cage, Abdul is uneasy with the idea of going away; sadly, he must leave his charming but greedy girlfriend Sardula, who has pushed him to choose such a treacherous adventure.

Back home in Chicago, having grown fond of Abdul, Kitty decides not to give him to the zoo; rather, she will teach him English and slowly introduce him to modern civilization. Abdul is also attracted to Kitty’s charm and becomes an attentive, affectionate student. In honor of her star pupil, Kitty decides to give a party showcasing Abdul to all the leading lights of contemporary civilization – including press agents, clergy members, socialites and artists. Terrified by all of this, Abdul runs amok at the party, causing havoc among the guests and destroying everything within his reach. He runs away leaving the event in complete confusion.

After Abdul’s sudden exit, Mr. Scattergood, Kitty and the Maharajah search for him, following his tracks in a forest where they believe he is hidden. Though Kitty expresses her love for Abdul, Mr. Scattergood and the Maharajah still hope to arrange the marriage between her and Kodanda. They reveal their scheme and show her the banknotes they still owe Abdul. At last Abdul is discovered, happily living alone in a cave deep within the jungle. When Mr. Scattergood and the Maharajah offer him the sum they still owe him, he refuses to return to the “civilized” world. To Kitty, Abdul’s protestation proves he really is the man of her dreams; she tells her father she will stay and live with Abdul, sharing a simple, primitive life. In the silence of the forest, finally apart from civilization, Abdul and Kitty lie peacefully on a bed of leaves while the night begins to fall. As they kiss passionately, Mr. Scattergood’s servants appear in the background carrying a fridge, a bathtub and a television into the cave.