Die Frühreifen (1957)

Inge works as a saleswoman in the women’s fashion department of a department store. She feels stifled by her parents’ home, where they have to economize because her hot-tempered father, a miner, dreams of owning a house in the country. She despises life in the Ruhr, where the air is always black with soot. She is also unhappy in her relationship with Wolfgang, a miner who, like her father, is saving money so they can have a life together in the future. Everything changes suddenly when her boss puts on a fashion show at the department store. A group of female employees and saleswomen he has personally selected are allowed to model. Inge is praised for her figure and looks, and even gets to present the wedding dress at the end of the show. Wolfgang plans to surprise her afterward: he, too, has bought her a motorcycle on credit. But Inge is short with him, because after the show she has been invited, along with the other models, to a party at the home of the well-off Günther, where they will have the place to themselves. Günther belongs to a group of spoiled, wealthy teenagers who like to spice up their free time outside school with car theft, gambling, and alcohol. His parents are always off traveling somewhere, so he lives more or less alone in their villa. His friend Freddy, meanwhile, is a child of divorce who lives alone and is so bored with his life that he even mentions suicide in passing, during a conversation with Inge and Vicar Englert, as a possible way out. The department-store “models” turn up at Günther’s party, along with Hannelore, who is only 15 and whom Inge was allowed to bring at her request. Günther and the others ply all the women with alcohol. At some point, he starts inviting some of the girls into the next room, where a movie camera he had arranged to have set up is running. Hannelore also goes into the room alone, and after a while comes back out completely overexcited. When Günther tries to drag the struggling Inge into the room, Freddy intervenes. He drives Inge to his apartment, but she runs off. When she gets home, her hot-tempered father is waiting for her, already beside himself over her nighttime outing. When he sees that Inge’s dress is torn at the neckline, he hits her. Inge flees to her room, locks the door, angrily packs her things, and leaves. Her mother tries in vain to persuade her to stay. The next day, Inge tries to find somewhere to stay overnight through her coworkers at the department store, but nobody can or will put her up. That night, she finally stands outside Freddy’s house in the pouring rain. He takes her in and finds her an apartment above his, as the tenant is about to leave on a four-week trip. Inge’s mother tries to persuade her to come home when she visits her at the department store, but Inge stands firm: she will not return to her violent father. When she also asks Wolfgang for advice and he urges her to go back to her family, Inge breaks up with him. She now lives with Freddy, who becomes increasingly bored by her caring, conventional ways. The local clergyman, Vicar Englert, also has a serious talk with Freddy and Inge. Among other things, he advises Freddy to finally do something with his life instead of constantly railing against the older generation. During a game of tennis, Günther says that he is going to hold another big party at his house for his birthday. He has a special treat for the men: he plans to show, in private, footage of Inge’s colleague Hannelore. Inge and Freddy also attend the birthday party. As the evening goes on, Freddy makes it clear that he is bored with Inge and announces that he is leaving. He tells Inge she should make herself agreeable to Günther, and Inge withdraws in tears. Hannelore, who sees Günther as her first love, gives him a garden gnome for his birthday, since he has nicknamed her “Garden Gnome.” Günther and his friends laugh scornfully and smash the gift in front of the assembled guests, then go off to watch the film. Hannelore, already hurt by Günther’s reaction to her present, secretly looks through a window and is horrified to discover that the film shows her undressing in front of the camera while drunk. Completely stunned and shocked, she runs off. A short time later, the partygoers gather again and, tipsy, set off in two cars for the mine, where they plan to ride the spoil wagons of the aerial cableway like a carousel. Inge repeatedly asks where Hannelore is, but is shoved toward one of the wagons, which starts moving. Instinctively, she grabs hold and hangs on the outside, calling for help, but manages to let go in time without being seriously hurt. Wolfgang and his friends, just finishing their shift, hear Inge’s cries for help, come over, and try to hold Günther and his friends to account. After a brief scuffle, the party group escapes in their cars. When Günther gets home, the police are already waiting and take him and Inge to the station. Günther and Inge are supposed to give statements about Hannelore, but Günther pretends he barely knows her. When the officer questioning him tells him he will be taken for an identification, he expects to be brought face-to-face with someone. Inge accompanies him. But the identification turns out to be nothing like either of them expected: Hannelore, in despair and shame, has jumped to her death from the twelfth floor of a high-rise. Günther breaks down, and Inge comes to her senses as well. She sets off for her parents’ home but hesitates to go inside. Vicar Englert finds her there. He speaks with her briefly and, after she tells him about Hannelore’s death and her own despair, reluctantly forgives her and first sends her to the mine to reconcile with Wolfgang. Englert then goes to Inge’s parents and makes it especially clear to her father that from now on he must treat his daughter—and his wife—with more respect and understanding.