Das Telephonkätzchen (1917)

Telephone operator Nelly Lehmann is daydreaming again as she gazes wistfully at a photograph of her sweetheart, Fritz. As a result, the connection requested by a customer, Mr. Knicker, is not made. He is so furious about Nelly’s lapse that he gives her a thorough dressing-down. Nelly refuses to put up with that and decides to sue Mr. Knicker for insulting her. When the two adversaries happen to meet on a tram, they do not recognize each other: Knicker, instantly smitten with Nelly, introduces himself as “Müller, a man of independent means.” He immediately asks her for a date. How could he know that his nephew Fritz is the sweetheart of the young woman standing before him—the very woman who intends to sue him? A little later, Knicker shows Fritz the court summons. The affair is extremely inconvenient for the old man, since he hopes to be appointed a Kommerzienrat soon. Fritz immediately realizes that the plaintiff is his fiancée and asks her not to withdraw the lawsuit under any circumstances. Instead, he asks her to grant old Knicker the date he requested. When Knicker meets the plaintiff on the first day of the hearing, he of course recognizes his chance acquaintance at once and is initially completely taken aback. The judge urges the two adversaries to settle, which suits Knicker quite well. Nelly, however, will follow the court’s recommendation only if Knicker—who is also Fritz’s uncle from whom Fritz stands to inherit—gives his blessing to their engagement. Knicker grumbles that this means he will have to give up the Nelly he adores, but ultimately agrees to the arrangement.