The film was an epic portrayal of the life of Catherine the Great of Russia.

Leonhard Haskel & Anna Müller-Lincke sing a song.

The movie follows two distinct plot lines until the two eventually merge: the first is that of the bored middle-aged man seeking a departure from monotony in his life; the second is that of the blind man and the little boy, his grandson, who are interdependent. None of the characters have been given names and are therefore referred to only by description. The city is an expressionistic nightmare, a dangerous and chaotic place.

A nobleman wishes to help the woman he had seduced and abandoned years earlier when he learns that she is now on trial for murder.

A method actress likes living out the roles she is playing in real life. To prepare for her new play, she enters the criminal underworld and ends up being implicated in a burglary of a Duke who is one of her suitors. The film was shot at the Babelsberg Studios in Berlin. The film received a generally positive reception from critics, although some were doubtful about the blending of farce and tragedy.

After the revelation that Georg has seduced her, Maria is driven away by her father. Georg, fearing the wrath of Maria's father, has swiftly abandoned the girl and left for the mining town of Sankt Anton, where he expects to hide easily amongst the large population of colliers. Maria must care for herself, and ends up in Sankt Anton, where she attempts to rebuild her life. There, she gets to know Thomas, and soon the young people are engaged. When Georg and Maria meet again, drama ensues. The film originally ran 97 minutes.

Woman doesn't let the man know whether he is the father of the child.