Du haut en bas (1933)

Marie de Ferstel is a young history and geography teacher who, while waiting for a more suitable position, gets a job as a maid in Vienna through the intercession of Mr. Berger, the director of an employment agency and a former patient of the young woman’s father, Dr. de Ferstel. Since her employers, the Binders, ask for references, Berger gives Marie a certificate belonging to a certain Marie Kruschina, who had previously applied to the agency and whose file contains suitable letters of recommendation. In the same building as the Binders lives the famous footballer Charles Boulla, idol of the residents and unsuccessfully pursued by another tenant, Paula. Boulla is immediately attracted to Marie, who is not interested in him at first. Among the building’s other tenants is Podeletz, a lawyer who is out of work and so impoverished that he can no longer pay his rent. The Binders’ cook helps him by giving him meals she has prepared. Mrs. Binder proves to be an intimidating and domineering housekeeper, while her husband tries to sexually assault Marie. Marie helps Boulla become more cultured. While Podeletz is being evicted from his apartment, the cook comes to his aid after he has faked his suicide. Finally, Marie finds a teaching job at a scholastic institute in Salzburg and prepares to pack her bags, but the police burst into the house with an order to expel her from the country. The court records contain an indictment for illegal prostitution, as well as records of theft convictions, against Marie Kruschina. Berger intervenes and explains the identity swap he arranged, so Marie can now leave for her new job and says goodbye to Boulla. In a conversation with his manager, Boulla expresses doubts about taking part in the upcoming football tournament, but when he learns that the first leg will be in Salzburg, he signs on. While the residents of the building read the announcement of Marie and Boulla’s engagement, Podeletz and the cook are married amid great festivities.