Manfred takes his nephew, Martin, on a business trip to Rome. They stay with Manfred's brother Georg, who lives in Rome. On the way there Manfred and Martin meet Lilo, a girl who is also on her way to Rome.

A young man named Jürgen joins the military. As much as he tries to make a heroic career as a soldier in a rearmed West Germany, he fails utterly and ends up in a bizarre sanatorium.

Fashion model Sylvie falls asleep drunk in the cab of Munich taxi driver Paul, and an impossible love affair beckons.

The old and sick detective superintendent Bärlach has to investigate the murder of his colleague Ulrich Schmied, who was murdered in the middle of the country road.

Why does the gaslight flicker so ominously in Mrs. Manningham's house? And is she really losing her mind?