Großstadtmelodie (1943)

Renate Heiberg lives in the sleepy town of Wasserburg am Inn and is determined to make it big as a photographer. One day, when an Italian pilot has to make an emergency landing in his plane, she sees her chance. Renate takes several photographs, which turn out to be excellent. Reporter Rolf Bergmann puts her in touch with a Berlin newspaper, to which she sells the pictures. They appear on the front page and earn Renate 600 Reichsmarks. Encouraged by this, the young woman takes the leap to Berlin and tries to get a job at several editorial offices. But she is turned down again and again. Only Berolina Press gives the aspiring photographer a chance and hires her. Renate botches her very first assignment: because of a misunderstanding, the requested photographs of a bicycle race arrive at the editorial office too late and do not meet its requirements in terms of subject matter. Renate is fired, but eventually meets her colleague Klaus Nolte, who has already made a name for himself as a press photographer. He supports Renate in every way he can and also helps her find a place to live in Berlin. Renate has a hard time establishing herself in her job. To keep herself afloat financially, she has to make do with uninteresting odd jobs, such as photographing visitors to the Tiergarten. Klaus is there to advise and support her, and also supplies her with film for her camera. To Renate’s surprise, she hears from Berolina Press again: they have now found a use for the bicycle-race photos she already took. Renate Heiberg is hired again and assigned to take a whole series of photographs for an article series. When she runs into Rolf Bergmann again at a fashion show, the two slowly grow closer, and eventually sparks fly. Rolf, however, doubts whether their jobs, which keep them on the road so often, are really conducive to a serious relationship. In fact, the two hardly see each other anymore: Bergmann takes an assignment abroad, while Renate takes photographs for an ambitious illustrated book about Berlin. When Rolf and Renate see each other again, they quarrel and then break up. Shortly afterward, Klaus marries his fiancée, the revue dancer Viola. Renate and Rolf, who are there as witnesses at Klaus’s request, reconcile at the celebration and decide that they will be the next to walk down the aisle.