München 1945

The taxi driver Fritz gets to know the millionaire-heiress Iris and marries her against the wishes of her family. They live together in a small apartment and are very happy. But Fritz wants to offer Iris more and thus finds a position as a laborer in a large car factory and ends up making a career for himself as a race car driver. But while he is driving from one victory to another, he is getting more and more estranged from his young wife. As his career starts to go downhill, he notices the mistakes he has made and tries to win Iris back.

World War I, Eastern Front. A special battery consisting of thirteen soldiers and one cannon successfully holds back the enemy. But then the position of the gun is betrayed to the Russians and the cannon is destroyed. Each of the thirteen men is now suspected of being the traitor.

Fernand has escaped from prison and finds shelter in the traveling circus Barlay, where his former wife Flora works as a predator trainer. Their son, now grown up, Marcel is an art rider and does not know that Fernand is his father. Marcel loves Yvonne, the daughter of director Barlay. He is against the connection, sends his daughter to Italy and convinces Marcel that Yvonne does not return his feelings.