Justice Shallow and her young cousin Slender arrive in Windsor with Sir Hugh, seeking satisfaction for a dispute with the infamous Sir John Falstaff and his two lackeys Pistol and Nym. After the confrontation, Shallow and Hugh urge Slender to marry a young woman named Anne Page to inherit her wealth: he has no interest in doing so. On a similar note, the near penniless Falstaff returns to the Garter Inn where he tells Nym and Pistol about his plan to seduce the affluent wives of two local merchants–Mrs. Ford and Mrs. Page–in order to cozen (steal) their riches. Nym and Pistol refuse to help and instead seek revenge on Sir John by informing the women’s husbands about his scheme. Undeterred, Falstaff sends a personal assistant named Robin to deliver two identical love letters, one to Mrs. Ford and the other to Mrs. Page. 

After comparing their matching love letters, the wives decide to seek revenge on Falstaff and begin by inviting him to Mrs. Ford's house when her husband is out. Meanwhile, the jealous Mr. Ford learns of Falstaff's plot from the disgruntled Nym and Pistol and resolves to catch his wife in her infidelity. To do so, he disguises himself as a man called Mr. Brook, seeks out Falstaff, and bribes him to pursue Mrs. Ford on his behalf. Falstaff agrees. 

Elsewhere, Slender’s assistant Simple visits Ms. Quickly at Sir Hugh's command to request her help in wooing Anne Page. They’re interrupted by the hot-headed Dr. Caius, who also seeks Anne’s love. When he learns of Slender’s rival suit, he challenges Sir Hugh to a duel for interfering. The host of the Garter Inn sends them each to different meeting places to confuse them, so when Hugh and Caius resolve their differences, they in turn seek revenge on the host for tricking them. 

Back at the Pages’ house, Miss Anne Page meets in secret with her true love: a young woman named Fenton. Her father Mr. Page does not approve of such a relationship, advocating instead for Slender. For her part, Anne's mother hopes that Anne will marry Dr. Caius.

At the Ford’s house, Falstaff’s flirtation with Mrs. Ford is interrupted when Mistress Page announces that the men are returning. The two wives convince Falstaff to hide in a large laundry cart which is carried out by Pistol and Nym and dumped in the river while Mr. Ford ransacks the house in search of Falstaff, all to the delight of the two wives. 

Enjoying their merry revenge, they decide to repeat the trick and invite Falstaff to call again. Despite being dumped onto a muddy river bank last time, Falstaff is persuaded to accept the invitation again by Mr. Brook. As before, Falstaff is interrupted by Ford's return. This time, however, the women convince Falstaff to disguise himself as a servant's elderly aunt. When Mr. Ford, who hates this elderly woman he calls the Witch of Brentford, encounters Falstaff dressed as her, he attacks him and drives him from the house. 

Joyously successful again, the wives reveal the hoax to their husbands, and together they all hatch a plan to publicly humiliate Falstaff and put an end to his behavior once and for all. They arrange one last prank–this time at midnight around an old oak tree and involving the whole community posing as fairies to torment Falstaff.

As everyone meets in the woods, Mr. and Mrs. Page plan to have their favored suitors (Slender and Caius) steal away with Anne during the event and marry her. However, during the melee, Anne escapes with Fenton, and Slender and Caius leave with others they mistake for her. Falstaff recognises the plot and realises that he has deserved his punishment. He makes up with the Pages and the Fords, and Anne returns married to Fenton. Slender finds true love elsewhere, and the otherwise choleric Dr. Caius finds humor and delight in his marriage of mistaken-identity. Mr. Page and Mrs. Page accept Fenton as their new daughter-in-law, and all return home laughing over the night's activities.