Ilse Zielstorff

Budapest in the 1930s. Restaurant owner Laszlo hires pianist András to play in his restaurant. Both men fall in love with the beautiful waitress Ilona who inspires András to his only composition. His song of Gloomy Sunday is, at first, loved and then feared, for its melancholic melody sets off a chain of suicides. The fragile balance of the erotic ménage à trois is sent off kilter when the German Hans falls in love with Ilona as well.

While the unemployed actor Dieter "Did" Stricker keeps his head above water as a barker, his old acquaintance Rainer turns up, who now works as a PR strategist for the radical right-wing NSDU party. Did's rhetorical talent and his great poses would suit the faceless party well. With a few tricks, Rainer persuades his former colleague to run for office. With success: the popularity of the party increases, as do Stricker's fees. But suddenly his conscience speaks out.

Towing contractor Drechsler doesn't like himself or anyone else. Together with the corrupt policeman Budde, he does crooked business. But when the Danish woman Iben desperately asks him for help, the sourpuss thaws...

Fat German star restaurant chef Gregor shows romantic interest in waitress Eden Drebb. She's happily married to hunky Xaver Drebb, but feels romantically neglected. Gregor's deserts seduce her, first trough her brat daughter Leonie, to spend time with him and his fabulous dishes. That soon becomes a rather platonic affair, and domestic troubles. Xaver decides to exact revenge on Gregor, with tragic results.