It is the year 2000 and the World Global Union is in charge, although other countries are allowed to elect their own government leaders, as long as they support the Union. When Austria's newly-elected president, played by Josef Meinrad, makes his inauguration speech he declares Austria independence and issues an edict ending Austria's financial support for the Global Union.

Based on a popular 1931 play, the film tells the fate of a naive young woman named Marianne, who breaks off her reluctant engagement with Oskar the butcher after falling in love with a fop named Alfred who, however, has no serious interest in returning her love. For this error, she must pay bitterly.

History professor Baisch, his depressive and tablet-addicted brother-in-law Anzengruber and a manic cabaret artist have a car accident on a remote country road after a party. Wedged between two trees they get stuck, doors and windows can no longer be opened, the windows made of bulletproof glass cannot be smashed. Injured and with no chance of escape, they wait for days for rescue. Their only provisions are a bowl of herring salad and a few bottles of Prosecco. Fits of rage and fear alternate with overwrought hilarity and desperate fits of crying. But it gets worse...