Ein Schutzengel auf Reisen (1997)

The film begins at Vienna South Station (demolished in 2010). Karl Horak is just about to retire and has two more trips as a sleeping-car attendant ahead of him. These trips are on the EuroNight 237/238 “San Marco” from Vienna South Station to Venezia S. L., and back on the EuroNight 239/236 “San Marco.” His colleagues do him a favor by getting his sleeping car ready in advance, so all he has to do is welcome the passengers. The first guest is the pensioner Heinrich Bauer, known as the “terror of the night trains.” No sleeping-car attendant is safe from this man. The next passengers are the athlete Otto Wanz and a musical ensemble called Quattro Stazioni. Since the musicians attach great importance to their instruments, the instruments have their own tickets, too. Right after them comes Xaver Frey, a very well-known chandelier manufacturer. The manufacturer has nothing left, as his lifestyle has eaten up all his money. As a result, his wife has also left him. These circumstances lead him to plan to kill himself on the night train so he can be buried in Venice. A little later, a pregnant woman appears who is actually a drug smuggler. This leads to an Austrian inspector and an Italian policewoman also taking the night train. Another unusual situation involves Jonathan Schretter. He is married to Sonja Schretter, of the bank of the same name, but is having an affair with Xaver Frey’s estranged wife. Furthermore, he played a major part in the collapse of Xaver Frey’s company and made sure that the contract for the chandeliers for the opera house in Venice went to him instead of Xaver Frey. As luck would have it, he is also on board the train with his lover. Sonja Schretter, his wife, finds out about all this and tries to inform Xaver and stop him from killing himself. During the journey, Karl Horak has his hands full trying to prevent the suicide, since having a corpse on board would be highly inconvenient, and it is the last thing he needs on his penultimate trip. In doing so, he has to enlist Heinrich Bauer’s help. Meanwhile, the drug smuggler realizes the police are after him and tries to leave the train. Just before the Italian border, he gets a chance to escape, but has to leave the drugs in someone else’s compartment. The amusing coincidence that this compartment is being used by Heinrich Bauer ends with the pensioner’s arrest. After the train has crossed the border, and it is generally known that a drug smuggler was on board, everyone’s attention turns back to Xaver Frey and his suicide. With his charming manner and a few aids, such as Heinrich Bauer’s vitamin pills, Karl Horak manages to prevent the suicide. Once he has regained his senses, Xaver Frey learns that his wife and Jonathan Schretter are both on board, and is thus able to save his company. In Venezia S. L., the drug smuggler and his accomplice are arrested, and the first positive outcome is achieved. The second positive outcome is Sonja Schretter and Xaver Frey. She has been following the train by plane and by car the whole time in order to pass the information on to Xaver. In Venezia S. L., she gets the chance to do so, but by then everything is already known. Heinrich Bauer has had to hitchhike from the border to Venezia S. L. The reason was his arrest. Just before the train left the border station, word came that he was innocent and could go. At the very moment he leaves, the train starts moving, which is how he ends up with this unusual ride. Once he arrives in Venezia S. L., he boards the train to collect his things. This does not go unnoticed by Karl Horak, and when he sees the pensioner, he realizes that everything comes to an end and that he is glad to retire.