Dr. Thomas Stockman is a confident man and a family man. He has become medical officer for the big new health resort in his hometown. It was his idea to develop the rather unusual mineral waters just on the edge of town.

The Doctor’s brother Peter is at the opposite end of the scale of morality. He is the mayor of the town and the Chairman of the board of HR Enterprises, Health Resort Enterprises. The two brothers never got along together as there were too many differences between them.

When Dr Thomas Stockman discovers that the water is a cesspool of dangerous bacteria his brother for political reasons refuses to believe the situation is dangerous. Dr Thomas takes his story to Hoffstead the editor of the local paper The Peoples Messenger and a very good friend of the doctor’s. The well-meaning doctor is publicly labeled an enemy of the people, and he and his family are all but driven out of the town he was trying to save.