Alex loves scandal - no wonder, his mere existence is scandalous in itself. In Vienna of 1900, he lives as a decadent, cynical dandy, drifting through the day, but especially into the evening and night. He can afford it; he can afford anything, for he is rich, indecently rich. And he behaves accordingly. The minor controversies of the upper class, such as the debate over new art styles, only elicit a weary smile from him; he prefers to ignite a real scandal. But even that has long since bored him; he seeks pure provocation, wanting to strike the corrupt society where it truly hurts. To achieve this, he devises a sinister plan: he randomly picks an unsuspecting, poor young man from the crowd, first twisting his head and introducing him to the pleasures of luxury and a carefree life.