It's grand premiere at the Revue Theater in Vienna, not only for a new spectacular revue in the large scale, but also for a new star: Carmen Daviot. In his office the theatre manager Frank listens to the former star Lydia Loo, who is complaining bitterly for being thrown out of the revue, because the financier Reinhold has rejected her in favor of his new protégée. When Reinhold arrives to the office, she pulls a pistol, but the actor Fred Nissen takes the gun away. Nissen visits Carmen in her dressing room, wanting them to be lovers again, just as in the old days in the Western-Varieté. Reinhold enters, gets furious when seeing Nissen, who responds by pointing at him with Lydia's gun. It's time for Carmen Daviot to make her spectacular entrance in the revue. This ends with her, Nissen and the ballet performing a choreographed shooting act. During the act someone shoots Reinhold in his box from the stage, without the audience noticing it. Inspector Helder, who is in the theatre, immediately starts investigating the murder. Carmen believes that Nissen committed it, and tries to protect him, now knowing for sure that she loves him.