Fred von Wellingen is a wealthy industrialist, part of a large family-owned corporation. Fred has fallen for Lia, a comely bartender in the Berlin Cabaret. He proposes to her, much to the horror of his family, which considers Lia and her unsophisticated father far below their caste. The family convinces Fred to give up the girl in exchange for increased position and income in the company. But Fred's lapse is momentary, and he again pursues Lia. But she, by this time, has learned of his erstwhile agreement and has agreed to marry someone else.
A nightclub waiter and a manicurist share the same room, he sleeps there by night and she by day. They've never meet , but they can't stand each other. Then they meet by chance, not knowing who's who and fall in love.
Fritz is in love with artist Glay, who stays at the Grand Hotel. In spite of not having any money he gets to know her, invites her to supper and after dancing a tango even hires the royal suite. How will he get out of this is a mystery even to himself.
This Brechtian musical about a young woman who flees from her decrepit, noble fiancé and marries a sailor is an interesting, although not a completely successful attempt to translate the sort of stage show to film. It has some good points, including the complete abandonment of the sort of surrealistic stage design that had enlivened the silent cinema. Instead, this tries for a purely cinematic technique, including multiple exposures, undercranking and distorting camera angles and lenses.
