A former circus clown, Helmut Doork, is arrested by the Gestapo after making fun of Hitler at a bar and sent to a prison camp. He refuses to perform for his fellow prisoners, wanting to preserve his legend. Eventually, he's forced to entertain, but his act fails and he's beaten. Finding joy in performing for a group of Jewish children, he becomes a regular entertainer, but is eventually ordered to stop by the new prison Commandant. When he continues to perform, he's punished and accidentally sent to Auschwitz with the children.
The Day the Clown Cried
A tragic tale of a clown's captivity and heart-wrenching journey with a group of Jewish children to a devastating fate during the Nazi occupation.