Ein Lord am Alexanderplatz (1967)

The marriage swindler Ewald Honig returns to East Berlin after serving a lengthy prison sentence, with an inexpensive diplomat’s car, a suit, and a bowler hat. He moves in with his now-grown daughter, whom he has not seen for twelve years. He wants to lead an honest life as he approaches retirement, dreams of owning a home, and starts work as an insurance agent. Always gallant and courteous, he also looks for a wealthy woman whom he genuinely intends to marry. He places an advertisement to that effect, and numerous women respond. Ewald’s daughter Ina is very much like him, to his great annoyance: she uses her beauty and youth to lure rich, married men through ads. She would like to go to Lake Balaton on a “business trip” with the dentist, Dr. Härtel, but Ewald foils this plan by confronting Härtel in person. He does the same with master of ceremonies Günti Schwalbe. During a game of “lover poker” together, father and daughter finally choose the one person they really want to “keep”: Ewald is now going to marry Ina’s boss, Mrs. Müller. Meanwhile, the Berlin police are on Ewald and Ina’s trail. In particular, criminal psychologist Achim Engelhardt and Hungarian detective Johanna Farkas want to solve the cases. Each places an advertisement typical of Ewald and Ina. As a result, Achim and Johanna respond to each other’s ads and suspect one another of being marriage swindlers during their date. Their identities are revealed only when they are both arrested. Despite their inauspicious start, Achim and Johanna become a couple. Ewald marries Mrs. Müller. However, three other women whom Ewald had supposedly intended to marry are waiting in the wedding carriage, and he ends up in court. In the end, it turns out that Ewald is actually innocent and, on the contrary, did good things for the women without ever leading them to believe he would marry them. Thus, he can enter the state of marriage a free man.