When Sir John Falstaff decides that he wants to have a little fun he writes two letters to a pair of Window wives: Mistress Ford and Mistress Page. When they put their heads together and compare missives, they plan a practical joke or two to teach the knight a lesson. But Mistress Ford's husband is a very jealous man and is pumping Falstaff for information of the affair. Meanwhile the Pages' daughter Anne is beseiged by suitors.

Richard Griffiths
as Sir John Falstaff

Elizabeth Spriggs
as Mistress Quickly

Judy Davis
as Mistress Ford

Prunella Scales
as Mistress Page

Ben Kingsley
as Frank Ford

Bryan Marshall
as George Page

Alan Bennett
as Justice Shallow

Richard O'Callaghan
as Slender

Tenniel Evans
as Sir Hugh Evans

Gordon Gostelow
as Bardolph