Promiscuous,pitilessandbored,sixsexuallyentangledmedicalstudentsrestlesslywanderinandoutofaboardinghouse,cramming,drinking,taunting,spying.Fredersetsaboutsavagelyexperimentingwiththeyoung,prettymaid,withhalfaneyeonhisformerloverDesiree,awild,disillusionedaristocrat.PetrellabandonsMariefortheruthlessunderdogIrene.Mariedoesn'twasteanytimeweeping-Desireewantsher.Bourgeoisexistenceorsuicide.Therearenootherchoices.Vienna,1923.Adiscontentedpost-wargenerationdiagnoseyouthtobetheirsicknessanddotheirbesttodestroyit.