Plot
Karol Borowiecki (Daniel Olbrychski), a Polish nobleman, is the managing engineer at the Bucholz textile factory. He plans to set up his own factory with the help of his friends Max Baum (Andrzej Seweryn), a German and heir to an old handloom factory, and Moritz Welt (Wojciech Pszoniak), an independent Jewish businessman. Borowiecki's affair with Lucy Zucker (Kalina Jędrusik), wife of another textile magnate, gives him advance notice of a change in cotton tariffs and helps Welt to make a killing on the Hamburg futures market. But more money has to be found, so all three characters cast aside their pride to raise the necessary capital.
On the day of the factory opening, Borowiecki has to deny his affair with Zucker's wife to a jealous husband by making him swear on a sacred object. Borowiecki then accompanies Lucy on her exile to Berlin. However Zucker sends an associate to spy on his wife, who finds out about the affair, sending the news back to Zucker. Zucker takes his revenge on Borowiecki by burning down his brand new, uninsured factory. Through this Borowiecki and his friends lose all that they had worked for.
The film fast forwards a few years. Borowiecki is now married to Mada Müller, a rich heiress, and owns his own factory. However his factory is threatened by a workers' strike. Due to this Borowiecki is forced to decide whether or not to open fire on the striking workers. He is reminded by an associate that it is never too late to change his ways; however Borowiecki still decides to protect his factory and orders the soldiers to open fire.
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