A writer (Rudiger Vogler) attempts to get to grips with his career as he travels through Germany. Along the way he is helped by an actress (Hanna Schygulla), poet (Peter Kern) and mute juggler (Nastassja Kinski in her screen debut). This road movie, based on a novel by Goethe, forms the second part of Wim Wenders' four-wheeled trilogy, sandwiched between 'Alice in the Cities' and 'Kings of the Road'.