Der ehemalige Seemann Hannes ist Alleinunterhalter im "Hippodrom" in Hamburg auf der "Großen Freiheit", das seiner Geliebten Anita gehört. Kurz nach der Wiedersehensfeier mit drei alten Bekannten, muss Hannes ins Krankenhaus. Dort bittet ihn sein Bruder auf dem Sterbebett, sich um ein Mädchen zu kümmern, das er verführt hat. Hannes fährt nach Süddeutschland, sucht Gisa und fährt mit ihr zurück. Dort zieht sie zunächst bei Hannes ein. Er mag sie gern und möchte für sie beide eine Existenz aufbauen. Doch in der Nacht, in der Hannes sich mit ihr verloben will, kommt sie nicht nach Hause: Sie hat sich für den jungen Werftarbeiter Willem entschieden. Als Hannes das erfährt, trennt er sich auch von Anita und fährt mit seinen Freunden wieder zur See.

The former sailor, Hannes, is a solo-entertainer in the "Hippodrom" in Hamburg, which belongs to his love Anita and is located on the "Grosse Freiheit", a red-light district in the city.  Shortly after a reunion party with three old acquaintances, Hannes has to visit his brother in the hospital, who is dying.  His brother begs him on his death bed to seek out Gisa, a woman he once let get away, and marry her.  Hannes finds her in southern Germany and returns to Hamburg with her, where they are to get married.  On the night, on which he is to be engaged to her, Gisa comes home and informs Hannes that she has chosen someone else.  Hannes understandably leaves Gisa and abandoning his real love Anita and the Hippodrom, returns to sea with his friends. Directed by Helmut Kaeutner in 1943/44, this film enjoyed enormous postwar popularity in both East and West Germany.  Kaeutner makes stunning use of the new Agfacolor material, and Hamburg never looked more mystical. The film was shot on location and in Berlin, but after massive air raids on both cities, was completed in Prague. Goebbels didn't particularly like this film and forbade it to be shown in Greater Germany. Therefore, German audiences only got to see this movie after 1945.  Hans Albers is brilliant, and for fans of his work, this movie is an absolute must.  The movie also features a couple of good songs, sung by Hans Albers.  "La Paloma" is probably the most remembered tune of this film.

109 minutes long.  Excellent digital quality.

Region Free  (can play in any DVD player).

PLEASE NOTE THAT SWITCHABLE (SOFT) SUBTITLES WILL NOT SHOW UP WHEN VIEWING THE SAMPLE BELOW.  IF YOU SEE SUBTITLES, THEN THEY ARE HARD-ENCODED (meaning, they cannot be turned off when viewing the film):