Scotland Yard investigates a series of murders where the victims have died by snake venom poisoning.

When another dead elderly gentleman is fished out of the Thames, Inspector David Perkins is convinced that the gorilla gang is active again. On a doll found with the body, characters of an African language are discovered. Together with Sergeant Pepper and language specialist Susan MacPherson, the search for the head of the gang begins.

Based on a play by Gerhardt Hauptmann, the film details a bittersweet May-December romance between ageing Mathias Clausen and young, beautiful Inken Peters.

March, 1945: The insecure and hesitant reserve lieutenant Felix Bleck receives orders to lead a transport of 40 prisoners to the Western Front, where the men are to be burned up in a punishment battalion. On the way there, Bleck realizes the inhuman futility of his assignment and makes a fateful decision.

The 21-year-old student Oliver Mansfeld attends a boarding school in Frankfurt. There he meets the married banker's wife Verena. A passionate affair develops between them, which does not remain undiscovered by Verena's husband for long.

Story of heavy drinking poet Dichter Albert, who being worn out by much younger Fanny. At the same time Elise, the writer's wife, tries to capture the young Beau Fabrizio, who shows no interest in her.