While most of the dialogue in the finished film are just the way they were scripted, actor Marc Ortner improvised much of his role.
The story he tells at the beginning of the "lunch-table-scene" changed with each take, and became more and more absurd and funny, much to director Alexander Tuschinski 's delight.
The music adds an additional layer of meaning. Especially, it references the Mozart-operas "Nozze di Figaro" and "Don Giovanni" very often, and becomes more and more "synthetic" as Arnold's story unfolds.
Originally, Arnold's "Internet-Love" was described in greater detail. Director Alexander Tuschinski recorded a song ("Internet-love"), which should have appeared during Norbert's rambling at lunch-break.
But when editing was almost finished, he decided that it slowed down the exposition of the film too much, and removed it entirely.
Some of the footage that should have accompanied the song was then used in order to create the "Heart-beat, stream-of-consciousness"-sequence which replaced the song.
The scene in which Arnold walks through a big park in the middle of the film was actually filmed in three different parks which are some kilometers apart. Through editing, they appear as one big park.
Director Alexander Tuschinski planned many of the scenes while listening to classical music; often the one that plays in the finished scenes. Almost all music was chosen during writing of the script, and many scenes were edited to the music.
Alexander Tuschinski: [squirrels] When Arnold walks through the park, he observes multiple squirrels.
Alexander Tuschinski: [original songs] Menschenliebe features one original songs by Alexander Tuschinski that is interwoven into the narrative to advance the storyline: "Looking for my Messages". Originally, a second song called "Internet-Love" was also included at an earlier point in the story, but after screening the rough cut the director decided to remove it for pacing reasons.