When 17-year-old Effi Briest marries the elderly Baron von Instetten, she moves to a small, isolated Baltic town and a house that she fears is haunted. Starved for companionship, Effi begins a friendship with Major Crampas, a charismatic womanizer.
Because the young hunter Michael has carelessly fallen for the head forester's daughter, he incurs the wrath of his colleague Bertl. This not only earns him a beating, but also a charge for a crime he did not commit. Fortunately, he manages to flee to Africa, where he finds shelter with a friend as a big game hunter. But his heart soon pulls him back home.
Hubert Gerold, the new forester of the Silver Forest, fights against the deforestation of his idyllic forest with the help of the court councilor. He actually succeeds in convincing the local council to sell building land instead of the forest. When Hubert meets Liesl, the court councilor's granddaughter, at a hunters' ball, his happiness seems complete. But while he is showing her the beauties of the Silver Forest, Liesl's admirer, Max, arrives from Vienna, determined to prevent their relationship at all costs.
Fox, a former circus performer, wins the lottery of DM 500,000 and can now have the life and things that he has always wanted. He enters an abusive relationship with wealthy industrialist Eugen in an attempt to climb the social ladder. His desperation for love and affection soon spirals into tragedy.
Vickie, short for Victoria, is crowned Queen of England and as such needs to learn the responsibilities of her new post.
In Liverpool there's a gang war between the Mods (who dress in the latest fashions and styles) and the Rockers (who are more into the '50s "greaser" look). Ricky, the son of a wealthy businessman, is a Mod guitar player, and in a gang fight with some Rockers, his girlfriend is killed. He leaves Liverpool for the continent and winds up in Rome, where he becomes involved with his father's mistress.
Rural comedy set in the Black Forest.
A priest falls in love with a rich man's daughter.
Pachegg comes to Eglau in the Alps as the new forester. A poacher begins to wreak havoc there. Pachegg also gets into trouble with the attractive widow of a sawmiller who is having the leased forest cut down. Pachegg is more attracted to the pretty Ulli, daughter of the head forester Höllrigl. The girl is an enthusiastic hunter, but only with a camera.
The poor, out-of-town dairymaid Liesl and the wealthy landowner Martin are in love. The village community rejects Liesl. Moreover, a wealthy innkeeper's daughter has her eye on Martin.
A young country girl breaks up the engagement with her fiancé and moves to the city to live with her lover. The new man will give her some unpleasant surprises.
The Second World War is over and now begins in post-war Germany, the reconstruction. Jakob Formann sees his chance here and begins a rapid rise as an entrepreneur.
A romantic musical comedy about a young kindergarten teacher who suddenly meets her love.
A short vacation should let the 17-year-old, deaf-mute Veronika forget the death of her beloved father, so the plan of her mother Christina. The place of recreation, however, is not chosen happily, due to lack of money: Gut Vorwald in the Sauerland region belongs to the mature nobleman Benno von Caldern, to whom Christina once pledged herself in her youth before meeting her future husband and renouncing Benno. Under the golden roof of autumnal oak crowns, the feelings of the past return, not without dramatic consequences.
In 1950s Germany, tyrannical boss Gerlach spares affection for his secretary Tommy, until Tommy is misdiagnosed with a fatal illness. Believing he’ll die, Tommy blossoms, wins the boss’s daughter Gaby’s love, and is named junior partner. When the truth surfaces, Tommy and Gaby - and Gerlach and the guilty nurse - find unexpected happiness.
The deceased owner of a medieval castle stipulated the following in his will: The heir to his mighty estate would be the elder of the two stepsisters, Katharina and Margrit von Kronberg, namely Margrit, if she married Heinz Wagner, a cousin who had just returned from captivity. When Margrit observed Katharina and Heinz rendezvousing at a nearby lake, Margrit demanded that her husband leave the castle immediately, before she, the elder sister, and Heinz were married. Furious, Katharina then plotted to poison Margrit. Only when Katharina dreamed that the village youth would avenge Margrit's violent death according to ancient tradition and that she, Katharina, would be burned on a pyre like witches in the Middle Ages, did she, after awakening from this nightmare, abandon her bloody plan. Her change of will is rewarded: Heinz has decided to marry Katharina and not Margrit.
After the death of her abusive father, lonely librarian Martha finds herself caught up in a strange, sadomasochistic relationship with a monstrous husband whom she begins to suspect may be trying to murder her.
The story of a German singer named Willie, who while working in Switzerland, falls in love with a Jewish composer named Robert, whose family is helping people to flee from the Nazis. Robert’s family is skeptical of Willie, thinking she could be a Nazi as she becomes famous for singing the song “Lili Marleen”.
The true story of Adele Spitzeder, who started her own private bank in 1870s Bavaria by promising everyone that gave her money high interest rates. Initially dubbed the "Angel of the poor", she was arrested for fraud after the whole scheme collapsed.
