Fox and His Friends

Eugen initially dismisses Fox because of his working-class manners, but immediately changes his attitude once he learns Fox has won 500,000 Deutsche Marks in the lottery. Eugen's interest is purely transactional, he sees Fox as a financial opportunity rather than a genuine romantic connection. This reveals Eugen's pattern of seeking wealthy partners to maintain his lifestyle.

At the party, Eugen snubs Fox for being 'proletarian' but quickly flips when hearing about the lottery win.

Fox signs the contract because he wants to prove his love and worth to Eugen, despite barely understanding the document. He is desperate for acceptance and belonging in Eugen's upscale world. The loan is for Eugen's father Wolf Thiess's failing business, and Fox believes this gesture will solidify their relationship. He later discovers the loan was repaid through his own monthly salary, leaving him financially devastated.

Max hints at investing in Eugen's company at the spa, foreshadowing the financial entanglement.

Fox lends money to Klaus, his former carnival employer and ex-boyfriend, from his lottery winnings. This act of generosity toward his past life sparks jealousy in Eugen, who sees it as a threat to his control over Fox's finances. The tension between Fox's loyalty to his past and his desire to fit into Eugen's world illustrates the manipulation at play.

Fox's earlier visit to Klaus after his arrest establishes their ongoing connection.

Eugen is evicted for the 'moral crime' of two men living together, reflecting the social hypocrisy and legal discrimination against gay couples in 1970s Germany. This eviction becomes a pivotal moment where Eugen convinces Fox to purchase a new apartment for them, further entangling Fox's lottery money into their relationship.

The film establishes Eugen's precarious social position early through his living situation.

The hotel refuses to admit Salem, the local male prostitute Fox and Eugen hire in Marrakech, because of his Moroccan ethnicity, demonstrating overt racial discrimination. This incident reflects the systemic racism and exoticization present in the film, and it complicates their attempt to salvage their deteriorating relationship.

The trip to Marrakech is already a desperate attempt to fix their failing bond.

After Eugen abandons him to go to the opera with Max, Fox goes to a gay bar where the florist (Fatty Schmidt) tries to proposition him. Fox reacts violently by slapping the florist, then experiences a panic attack, revealing his psychological unraveling. When he tells Eugen about it, Eugen shows indifference, deepening Fox's isolation.

The florist appears earlier when Fox swindles him for the lottery ticket, establishing their tense dynamic.

Fox commits suicide by taking Valium, leaving him dead on the floor of an underground space. His financial ruin, emotional destruction by Eugen, and complete isolation have pushed him to despair. After his death, two schoolboys steal his money while Max and Klaus, who discover the body, walk away uninterested in helping, underscoring the film's bleak view of human connection.

Fox's earlier visit to a doctor who prescribes sedatives signals his mental decline.

Max and Klaus choose to walk away from Fox's body without helping or reporting the death. Their callousness reflects the film's critique of self-interest and moral bankruptcy among Fox's connections. Both men had their own dealings with Fox, Max as his introduction to Eugen's world, Klaus as his former lover, and both ultimately prioritize avoiding involvement over compassion.

Both characters are established as self-serving throughout the film.

After Fox ends the relationship and moves out, Eugen changes the apartment locks and resumes his previous relationship with Philip. This reveals that Eugen never genuinely loved Fox, Fox was merely a financial means to an end. Once Fox's money was exhausted and his usefulness ended, Eugen discarded him and returned to a familiar partner.

Eugen initially left Philip for Fox when he learned of the lottery win, establishing his pattern of using partners financially.

Fox sells his luxury De Tomaso Pantera for only 8,000 marks (a fraction of its value) because he has been drained financially by Eugen's manipulations and the failing business. After Eugen changes the locks and he is sleeping in his car, Fox is desperate for any cash, demonstrating his complete financial ruin.

Fox's material possessions (car, apartment, money) have been gradually transferred into Eugen's control throughout the film.

The company run by Eugen's father Wolf Thiess goes bankrupt, leaving workers unpaid. Fox attempts to help by offering his apartment as collateral for a bank loan to cover the debts. This further entangles Fox's remaining assets in Eugen's failing enterprise, accelerating his financial destruction.

The loan Fox signed earlier was for this same failing business.