Vienna 1910. Hans Trautendorffer, an 35 year old journalist bets with his newpaper chief that he'll be able to work as a farm worker in the country for a whole year. But his dreams of a healthy, quiet country life don't come true- at least not the way he expected it.

Max Frisch's famous parable about the cowardice of opportunists: Mr. Biedermann brings two arsonists into his home and pretends that they are his best friends.