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Heading for Berlin
in a railway compartment is Clifford Bradshaw, a young impoverished
American writer who has been roaming Europe in an increasingly frantic
search for the inspiration for novel number two. He is joined by Ernst
Ludwig, an attractive young Berliner who appears to be in the smuggling
business. When Cliff inadvertently helps him, Ernst gratefully gives
him the name of a likely rooming-house in Berlin. It is Fraulein Schneider's
house, and she rents Cliff a room for half its usual price. Cliff takes
out his typewriter. But it's New Year's Eve. Ernst has mentioned a cabaret
called the Kit Kat Klub. At the moment it seems much more inviting than
the typewriter.
The Kit Kat Klub is a cross-section of
Berlin night-life: thronged with fat, middle-class Germans-prostitutes-homosexuals-the
flotsam and jetsam of a doomed city. As Cliff enters the Emcee introduces
Sally Bowles, a young English girl. But Sally is attracted to Cliff.
She arranges to meet Cliff. The next day Sally suddenly appears in Cliff's
room with her baggage. Can she stay with Cliff? Cliff finally agrees.
Fraulein Schneider is being courted by
Herr Schultz, a widower who lives in her house. He is Jewish and the
owner of a fruit shop. Months pass. Cliff is getting nowhere with his
novel - and enjoying life with Sally Sally is pregnant. Cliff is upset
- then happy. Ernst arrives to offer him a job smuggling a briefcase
into Germany. Needing the money, Cliff accepts.
Fraulein Kost, a prostitute, discovers
that her landlady, Fraulein Schneider, is having an affair with Herr
Schultz. To save her honor, Herr Schultz announces he will marry Fraulein
Schneider in three weeks. Sally arranges an engagement party at the
fruit shop. Cliff arrives at the party with the smuggled suitcase. He
hesitantly gives it to Ernst, who wears a swastika arm-band. Ernst decides
to leave, but Fraulein Kost lures him back by singing a Nazi song. When
all the guests join in exultantly, the party suddenly turns sour.
Fraulein Schneider breaks her engagement
to Herr Schultz. She is afraid the Nazis will come to power. Cliff decides
to take Sally home to America. Berlin is not going to be any place to
raise a family. But Sally refuses. She loves Berlin and her life there.
They have a savage argument. Sally disappears - returning the next day.
She's had an abortion. Heartbroken, Cliff prepares to leave alone-secretly
hoping she will join him in Paris. But Sally informs him she's always
hated Paris. Cliff sadly closes the door behind him. In the train Cliff
begins to write about Sally and the people of Berlin as, in his memory,
they surround the compartment-singing, dancing, living on the toboggan
that led to the Third Reich.
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