Herr Eickmeyer is a wealthy parfumier: well past middle age, and stout with it. His blonde wife Lissy is much younger, pretty and vivacious. Since Eickmeyer can't keep up with his young wife, he commissions a companion for her in the form of a life-sized talking clockwork man, purchased for 5,000 deutschemarks ... to be shipped to his home immediately it's assembled.