It's 1943, and Japanese Americans are in concentration camps. Troublemakers are put into special camps, 'citizen isolation centers.' Teenagers Coolidge and Yerry arrive at Hogoz, one such special camp, and they soon meet George and KC.
Having narrowly escaped confinement in a "tiger cage," Coolidge and Yerry get better acquainted with the administrator, Boylin, a pedophile with gourmet appetites.
After many comic confrontations during their arrival day, Coolidge and Yerry at last find a "dump" to call their own. As they begin to settle, however, Boylin and Nagel burst into their quarters.
George helps Princess with her hair and tiara, as they line up for breakfast at the mess. KC appears, and soon the two girls get into a fight. Marx steps in to help George break it up.
KC teases Marx about his crush on Princess, which he denies. As other kids line up, each one joins in, but suddenly the tables are turned on KC for her crush on MimI.
Mimi is swept off her feet by Sam-Sam, a new arrival. He persuades her to help him "finance" his show. Soon, banter between Tex and Babydoll leads to a sexy duet. But it is Marx who is seduced amid all the talk of sweat and lather.
George's day gets complicated, as he first fends off Boylin and Cpl. Nagel over toilet privileges. Then, after discovering 'shrinkage' in the camp supplies, he meets Mimi and Sam-Sam who try to persuade him to be in the 'show.'
Talkie and Lizzy discover that George appears to be in a "relationship" with Mimi--and maybe even Sam-Sam. They persuade Carl Putzkammer to have a "talk" with KC.