Set in Vienna in 1957, the story follows Max, a former Nazi SS officer, working as a night porter in a hotel. One night, Lucia, a beautiful woman and the wife of an American orchestra conductor, checks in—and Max instantly recognizes her as a former concentration camp inmate with whom he had a deeply disturbing and complex sadomasochistic relationship.

Their encounter reignites their obsessive bond, and they retreat into a secret, intense affair. But Max’s past is catching up with him—he’s being investigated by a group of ex-SS comrades who want to eliminate any links to their war crimes. Lucia, torn between her past and present, ultimately chooses to remain with Max, leading them into a dark and tragic fate.