On Probation

Nina Kern, a young woman in her mid-twenties, is to be deprived of the guardianship of her three children. She hasn't had a regular job since she and her husband divorced, she spends her nights with dubious friends and neglects her children. Faced with the alternative of either changing her life completely or losing her children, Nina choses the children, who had in the meantime been put up in a children's home as a result of a temporary court enactment. Friends and neighbours are prepared to help her overcome the difficulties of a new start. There's Werner, a shy, modest man, driver by profession, who lives with her, and there's one of her neighbours. But first and foremost, there's the music teacher, Mrs. Behrend and Mr.Müller, a civil engineer, who both vouch for her, become her official sponsors and see to it that Nina keeps in touch and on good terms with her children. Before long, Nina is allowed to take in her youngest child, Mireille, again. Nina is by nature a very light-hearted person, and when her old "acquaintances" look her up, she almost forgets all her good resolutions. She falls in love with handsome Heier, although for him she is only a casual affair. Werner leaves her, and again she is all alone and tries to drown her sorrows in alcohol. Mrs. Behrend, however, who has been devotedly looking after Nina, does not leave her in the lurch even now. Nina knows, that she must go the last stretch on the way to a better life by herself. She decides to give her permission for the adoption of Jacqueline, with whom she always had great difficulties (Progress Film-Verleih)