With his uncompromising manner, Warrant Officer Eismayer is regarded as the most feared instructor in the Austrian army. His strict methods are well known among the recruits. But Mario is not intimidated by this when he enters the barracks to begin his service. He resolutely defies Eismayer and puts his seemingly chauvinistic worldview to the test by openly flaunting his homosexuality. Shocked by Mario's brash behaviour, Eismayer's double life gradually comes to light. Director David Wagner endows the title character with a fascinating ambivalence and tells a story based on true events about homosexuality in the armed forces.