Franz Bieberkopf is a sweet and unsophisticated working-class gay man who works in a carnival as "Fox, the Talking Head". He finds himself without a job when his boyfriend Klaus, the carnival owner, is arrested for tax fraud. Fox visits his sister Hedwig who likes to drink and is in no mood or situation to provide any help. After losing the remaining money that he had, Fox turns to tricks in order to buy the lottery ticket he is convinced will bring him his fortune. Cruising in a public restroom, Fox meets an older man, Max, a sophisticated antique art dealer, who is not willing to give Fox the small amount of money he needs. Undeterred, Fox stops at a flowers shop and swindles the ten marks he needs from the overweight gay florist. With that money, Fox buys a lottery ticket as the newsagent is closing.