A young typist is fancied by her boss. Before getting married, she wishes to have fun one more time and visits a masked ball in the costume of an imp. Th e she meets a young painter, who falls in love with her, but whom she rejects because of his poverty. Th party serves as a fi set, without the guests knowing it. Wanda marries her boss, which brings her wealth but not happiness. One day the scene of the tête-à-tête of the imp and the painter is being screened in the cinema, after which Wanda’s husband throws her out on the street. She takes this as an opportunity to get an entirely new life, to find a job and her true love – in the film business.
This is another variation on class issues and the intertwining of love and money in Rosa Porten’s films. Veiled as a comedy, it hints at not confusing these things. Most interesting is the double-edged role attributed to film. For women, being filmed unwittingly may imply risks, but the film business might as well be a vehicle to get a better and happier life.

Annette Förster