About how the British broke the Brazilian monopoly on natural rubber. The storyline suggests a complex relation between adventure, military conquest and imperialism.

Lifelong hard work for the count makes the servant Anton a cripple. Everybody calls him Crooked Anton. When, after the end of the war, the land of the count gets divided amongst the farmers, Anton receives a piece and hopes to be able to work freely. But an old debt and intrigue keep Anton and his family from finding peace. The farmers of the village begin to discover their own power when Annegret, Anton's daughter, leaves. Is a new beginning possible for Anton? This film paints an impressive panorama of the development of a minor village in Mecklenburg from the end of the war to the uprising of 17 June 1953.

In 1952, former farmhand Erich Kattner arrives in a Mecklenburg village from West Germany to take on a new farming job, which he had originally planned to do together with his wife. She has died shortly beforehand, and so he finds himself alone with the almost unmanageable work. His predecessor has capitulated, the new house and barn are only half-finished, tree stumps still have to be cleared in the fields and much more besides. He is skeptical of outside help. He asks Thekla, the maid of the richest farmer, whom he met on his first day in the village, to start working for him, but she refuses. When she does start working on Erich's farm after an approach from her "master", he only sees her as a work partner.

Ferdinand is an army major and son of President von Walter, while Luise Miller is the daughter of a middle-class musician. They fall in love with each other, but both their fathers urge them to end the affair.

This film continues the story of radio operator Ludwig Bartuschek from “The Sailor’s Song”. Near the end of the Weimar Republic, Bartuschek (Erwin Geschonneck) is working as a mechanic in the Sperber airplane plant. Director Dehringer offers him the opportunity to train as an airplane constructor if he is willing to give up his communist beliefs under oath. Bartuschek will not allow himself to be bought and instead joins the underground resistance movement.

A striking resemblance between the hairdresser Franz Blume and the famous actor Günther Kolmin leads to a curious mix-up during a vacation in Feuerstein. Blume's initially shy attempts to defend himself are unsuccessful. It is believed that the star wants to maintain his incognito. And the hairdresser soon takes a liking to the role of the adored one, especially as Miss Petri never leaves his side. When the real Kolmin finally arrives on the scene, the embarrassment is almost unbearable. In the end, Blume is happy to be himself again and returns home to his fiancée in remorse.

After Willy privately photographs Renee her image headlines an ad campaign making her a star model. Her sister Elli loses her acting job but Willy's friend Max adds her singing to his musical variety act, and they score an instant success.

The pleasure boat “Milwaukee” has a wide variety of guests on board: Frau Deiters, who is determined to get her daughter married off; Herr Krueger, who won a free ticket to travel onboard; Herr Dr. Bornemann, a completely introverted man, who has dedicated himself to his work; and Ms. Kathe, the ship’s photographer. On the way to Madeira, Mother Deiters quickly determines, that only Dr. Bornemann would be an appropriate match for her daughter. However, Fraulein Kathe secretly is in love with him. When the two end up in a very publicly embarrassing situation, the entire ship thinks she is the fiancée.

Paul Schleemueller is the town clerk of Schonbach, but secretly, he is counting on becoming the municipality's mayor one day. However, Paul's real passion is poetry, which he has never admitted to anyone, because he thinks it is unworthy of a municipal dignitary to write poems.