TV drama series directed by renowned German director Rainer Werner Fassbinder, adapted from an Alfred Döblin novel. The series was basically a 15 hour narrative by one man - Franz Bierkopf. Bierkopf is a compelling character - good natured, soft, tender and equally hard, violent and brutal when required.

Fresh out of prison in 1920s Germany after a four stretch for doing away with his girlfriend, he's working at making a new start and going straight. He meets Reinhold, a magnetic yet dangerous and halfwitted low-rent burglar and falls under his spell. Very soon any hope Bierkopf had of going straight, goes straight out of the window.