Trokadero (1981)

Theo Bichler is a dreamer and bon vivant from Munich, but he has never managed to build anything substantial of his own. Now, in the Lower Bavarian countryside, he opens a beer tavern with an old friend, Eva, whom he usually calls “Hasi.” The locals, however, stubbornly avoid the place. Another equally down-and-out character is Wendelin, who also lives hand to mouth, scraping by as a textile sales representative and dabbling in petty scams. The two men, classic pre-Alpine losers, meet at the bar. Wendelin, a restless hustler, thinks he has a brilliant idea when he suggests turning the boring pub into a promising striptease club. He has already come up with a more fitting name, one that promises an international flair: the “Trokadero.” But, as expected, things in the countryside don’t work out as they might in cosmopolitan Munich: attractive girls willing to take their clothes off, essential for a proper striptease, are just as hard to find. Nor is it easy to put together an entertainment program worth showing off. After the lackluster opening, the rural clientele vent their disappointment-born anger, and the furious village youth first tear the “Trokadero” apart in good, rough Bavarian fashion. But the dreamers Theo and Wendelin aren’t discouraged by this first setback. They believe that only the “Think Big” approach can bring success: they need an entire chain of leisure oases offering erotic entertainment, full-body massages, and “models.” So the two men head to Munich on a major shopping expedition, hoping to find what they need in the local “scene.” As expected, its red-light district, with its well-organized network of pimps, quickly shows them the red card. Disillusioned, Theo and Wendelin return to the “Trokadero” and are already spinning new dreams.