Schneider Mátyás is a typical parvenu, a once modest transportation entrepreneur who has climbed to wealth almost overnight. His sudden riches push him into a world of luxury and appearances, a world his wife, Schneider felesége, desperately wants to inhabit. She dreams of a refined, aristocratic lifestyle that looks the part, even if the roots of their upbringing remain far behind them.
Enter Hyppolit, a highly educated former servant who has spent 27 years in the household of a late count and even traveled the world with that family. His arrival turns their home life upside down, because his discipline and cosmopolitan manners impose a new set of rules on the Schneiders. To fit into this new social script, Schneider Mátyás must shave off his moustache, slip into a dinner suit, and sample French dishes instead of his beloved onions and roasted goose. The atmosphere at home shifts as Hyppolit’s influence grows, and the wife finds herself pushed toward healthier routines and a more measured, if somewhat meagre, diet.
Meanwhile, the Schneiders’ daughter, Terka, played by Éva Fenyvessy, begins to fall for their charming manager, the former driver István Benedek, who is secretly an engineer with a college diploma. Terka’s feelings bring a fresh current of romance into a house already bubbling with social ambitions. István Benedek, portrayed by Pál Jávor, hides this professional depth beneath a handsome exterior, which complicates Terka’s pursuit and the family’s plans.
For their part, the mother would rather see Makáts, a good-natured but not particularly bright suitor, win Terka’s heart. Makáts’s uncle, a city councillor, could potentially smooth over any obstacles and help secure a lucrative contract that would cement the Schneiders’ status. Makáts is portrayed by Gyula Gózon, and his connection to the uncle—assumed to be a path to influence—frames a subplot about power and permission within the city’s circles. To underscore the political edge of the family’s ambitions, the cast includes figures like the Member of the Supreme Council, hinting at the broader social machinery at work behind their personal dramas.
Things begin to spiral when Hyppolit’s practical suggestions lead [Schneider Mátyás] to pursue a relationship with Mimi, a singer and dancer at a sleazy night club. Mimi, played by Mici Erdélyi, becomes a flashpoint in the Schneiders’ carefully curated image. When Schneider fails to show up for a date with Mimi, she storms into the Schneiders’ villa during a dinner party that is already stacked with important guests, including Makáts’s influential uncle. The intrusion creates a public, messy scandal within a household that is trying to project control and poise.
This pivot in events also strains the younger generation. Terka is navigating her own path, determined to win the man she truly desires, while the adults scramble to maintain appearances in a situation that rapidly escalates beyond their expectations. The dinner party, the clash of social classes, and the conflicting desires of each character expose the fragility of a life built on appearances rather than genuine connection.
Throughout the film, the clash between old-world refinement and new wealth unfolds with humor and wit. The household dynamics—between the parvenu Schneider and his worldly wife, between a disciplined, cosmopolitan butler and a wealth-obsessed family, and between the young lovers caught between duty and desire—are painted with a light touch that never loses sight of its core motives. The narrative threads intertwine: the allure of social mobility, the dangers of pretension, the friction between love and convenience, and the unpredictable consequences when carefully laid plans meet unanticipated reality.
As the story progresses, the characters’ ambitions collide with the realities of their environment. The contrast between the Schneiders’ desire to belong to a world of polish and the raw honesty of Mimi’s night-club life creates a dynamic stage for misunderstandings, social scrutiny, and comic misadventures. The film’s humor emerges from the juxtaposition of earnest longing with outward polish, and from the way each character negotiates their place within a society that rewards appearances as much as achievements.
In the end, the tale remains a lively exploration of class, aspiration, and the pursuit of affection in a setting where every gesture is weighed for status. It is a story of transformation—of a man and a family learning to adapt to a world that values image as much as substance—told with warmth, satire, and a touch of romance.
