Elsie Attenhofer

A hairdresser is being recruited during World War I by the Swiss military where they turn this soft civilian into a 'real man'.

Provincial shop owner Jakob Stäubli and his wife Frieda are looking forward to celebrating Christmas together with their daughter Nelly. But Nelly doesn't come. She prefers to celebrate in the city in the company of her new boyfriend André, a "better gentleman." The saddened Stäublis decide to sell their shop and move to Zurich as well. As they explore the city together after the move, the two country bumpkins find themselves in all sorts of turbulent situations. Father Stäubli is also exposed to erotic temptations when his daughter's lover sends a woman after him to get money out of him.

Heidi, a young orphan girl living with her aunt in Frankfurt, is forced to move to the Swiss Alps to live with her ornery grandfather. At first, he resents her presence, but, after a short while, Heidi manages to pierce his gruff exterior, and the two become close. She also befriends a young shepherd named Peter. After three years, Heidi's aunt arrives and demands Heidi's return to Frankfurt.

While on a longer business trip, a wannabe poet urges his beautiful but more simple wife to answer his overly swollen love letters. With no idea how to respond she forwards the letters to a new young school teacher to use his answers instead...