In the midst of Vienna's post-WWI depression, a murder takes place in a slum, leaving lawyer Leid's wife, Lila, dead. Egon, the secretary of one of Leid's clients, is arrested for the crime, having been with Lila and possessing her necklace. Meanwhile, ex-government official Rumfort and his daughter Greta struggle to make ends meet, with Greta renting a room to an American Red Cross official to earn some income. However, the money is soon taken by Rumfort's creditors, and the family's financial woes continue. Amidst the hardship, they find themselves surrounded by the city's seedy underbelly, with their neighbors running a nightclub and brothel.
The Joyless Street
In the aftermath of World War I, a struggling family in Vienna, comprising Greta, her younger sister, and their retired father, work together to overcome the challenges of their impoverished circumstances.