George (Richard Burton) and Martha (Elizabeth Taylor) portray a college professor and his difficult wife who bring two new young colleagues, Nick and Honey (George Segal and Sandy Dennis), back to their home after a night of drunken revelry for even more drinking, accompanied by various psychological and emotional mind games and torments. George and Martha reveal their complicated love/hate relationship with each other, eventually causing Nick and Honey to open fire emotionally on each other as well. George and Martha also have an imaginary family member that they talk about admiringly until one partner decides this family member's fate.