Die große Nummer (1943)

The story is set in present-day Munich. Heinrich and Marion Wallner run a permanent circus there (an allusion to Circus Krone). The highlight of the program is Marion’s horse act. When she suffers a serious accident during the act and dies, Heinrich resolves that Helga, their now-grown daughter, must never work in the circus. In any case, this danger has already been forestalled to some extent, since Helga is studying veterinary medicine. But when she celebrates exuberantly with her friends after completing her preliminary medical examinations, it becomes clear that she is a natural comedienne. Heinrich Wallner hires animal trainer Peter Stoll as the new star attraction for his circus. Peter had been with the Wallners as a child (so he and Helga already know each other), but later left the circus; now he can offer Heinrich an act featuring Bengal tigers. When one of the horses is injured, Helga visits the circus with veterinarian Dr. Buchner, whose assistant she has since become and who is in love with her. Helga, however, has eyes only for Peter. They soon become a couple. Peter’s tiger act is good, but that is not enough for him: he wants it to be sensational. Helga has an idea. She proposes building a large swing, putting a tiger on it, and then having a person ride on the tiger—in other words, herself. Peter is fascinated, but later, after Helga has already worked out the act in detail, he refuses because he is afraid for her and does not want to expose her to danger. When Heinrich learns that Helga and Peter want to marry and work together, he pressures Peter to break both with Helga and with the Wallner Circus. Peter is so shaken by this that the animals sense his nervousness and insecurity, and one of the tigers attacks and badly injures him in the ring. To recover, he undergoes four operations and spends eight months in an expensive clinic, made possible only because Otto, his partner and assistant, sells the tigers. Although Helga gets no support from her father, she has inherited her mother’s horses. She suggests that Peter develop a horse-training act, and begins learning to vault on horseback. But because she should have started this training as a child, she makes little progress; the money also soon runs out. Then Peter gets the opportunity to buy a lion-training act, including the animals and the well-established name “Alberto Basto.” Helga decides to sell the horses and give Peter the proceeds. Knowing he would never allow it, she picks a fight with him and, before leaving, gives the check to Otto after he promises not to tell Peter where the money came from. Peter and Otto sign on with a traveling circus with their new lion act and travel abroad with it. Peter finds a new partner: the capricious Bianca Belloni, who is actually a trapeze artist but, out of love for Peter, joins him in the lion cage. Her sex appeal proves a major draw for audiences. Peter soon becomes dissatisfied with her, however, because Bianca is undisciplined, superficial, and flirtatious. When he unexpectedly sees Helga’s horses in America and learns that they have changed owners, he is overcome by homesickness and longing for Helga. He changes circuses and returns to Europe with his new employer. By now, Peter and Otto have earned enough money for Otto to repay Helga. Along with the check, she receives word that Peter is in Seville. Helga travels there. When she hears about Bianca, she changes her plans: instead of visiting Peter, she seeks out her rival to get a sense of what she is like. The impression is favorable, for although Bianca shows Helga her worst side, Helga immediately realizes that Bianca, whose career means everything to her and who is not loved by Peter either, wants to leave him. To see Peter again, Helga suggests to the traveling circus’s director that he bring his performers to the Wallner Circus for a guest engagement. Shortly afterward, Peter really does throw Bianca out. He wants to put Helga’s idea into practice and build the large swing for his lion act; instead of a woman, Otto, dressed as a clown, will ride on the lion’s back. When Peter learns that Helga was in Seville, he takes up her suggestion of a guest engagement and signs a contract. Since Peter is billed as “Alberto Basto,” Heinrich Wallner has no idea whom he is bringing into his circus. Only when they come face to face does Heinrich begin to understand. Dr. Buchner is still courting Helga. He has long realized that the circus will never let Helga go, and shortly afterward he will voluntarily give her up altogether. But in an effort to get rid of Peter, Heinrich presents Helga’s engagement to Buchner as a settled matter and appeals to Peter not to destroy Helga’s dreams again. Peter gives in. That evening, Peter is to present his new lion act with the swing for the first time at the Wallner Circus. Otto confides to Helga that he is terrified of riding on the lion and would much rather get out of it. Helga then has an idea that will both help Otto and bring her back together with Peter: she gets Otto to explain the act to her in detail, puts on his clown costume, and takes his place in the ring. Her fearlessness around animals and her innate comic flair both serve her well. The act is a spectacular success. Peter does not recognize Helga until she takes off her costume. At first he is furious: “What do you think you’re doing?” She replies, “It was my idea, after all.” Heinrich Wallner is proud of the couple. Peter and Helga intend to work together from now on. Throughout the story, Peter’s assistant Otto and the performer Mariettchen appear as a comic duo. They met while working an engagement in Lisbon. They have loved each other ever since. Otto has one problem, though: when he is with Mariettchen, he cannot bring himself to say the crucial words. Mariettchen is too proud to take the initiative herself, so she keeps leaving. At the end of the film, Otto and Mariettchen meet again; whether they will finally get together is left open to the cinema audience.