Crime scene: Bienzle and the honest man

Episode of the series Tatort
Original title	Bienzle and the honest man
Country of production	Germany
original language	German
Production ; company	SDR
length	92 minutes
Age rating	FSK 12
classification	Episode 266 ( List )
First broadcast	December 6, 1992 on First German Television
Rod
Director	Peter Adam
script	Felix Huby , Dieter de Lazzer
production	Rolf Steinacker
music	Stefan Melbinger
camera	Fritz Moser
cut	Karin Brost
occupation
	Dietz-Werner Steck : Ernst Bienzle ; Rita Russek : Hannelore Schmiedinger; Rüdiger Wandel : Günter Gächter; Rüdiger Vogler : Paul Stricker; Hanns Zischler : Joachim Dreher; Heide Simon : Ingrid Stricker; Christina Plate : Cordula Stricker; Dieter Eppler : Bossle; Hubertus Gertzen : Hilbert; Christoph Hofrichter : Fahlbusch; Uwe Müller : Gensmer; Klaus Spürkel; Cornelia Corba : Iris, the dominatrix; Utha Mahler; Peter Jochen Kemmer; Andrea Hörnke-Triess; François Doge; Hartmut Martins; Margrit Laye; Mario Freivogel;

Bienzle und der Biedermann is an episode of the crime series Tatort . The first broadcast of the report produced by Süddeutscher Rundfunk took place on December 6, 1992 on First German Television . It is the 266th episode of the film series and the first with the Stuttgart inspector Ernst Bienzle , who is investigating a case of white-collar crime .

Background and novel

The first novel with Ernst Bienzle was published in 1976 by Felix Huby. However, Bienzle und der Biedermann was based on an original script. It was not until 1994 that the novel for the film was published by rororo under the same title . A new edition was later published as part of the Tatort series of authors by Weltbild and in 2008 by Fischer .

Huby later wrote about Dietz Werner Steck's adaptation of the fictional character:

“Steck was smaller, narrower, more delicate than he had appeared to me there. And right away he didn't have that much of the Bienzle in my novels, who for me was always something like my alter ego. It didn't last long. The figure of Ernst Bienzle changed almost imperceptibly. The Romanbienzle and the Fernsehbienzle carefully approached and eventually merged. "

- Felix Huby : Official website

action

Ernst Bienzle is investigating Dr. Joachim Dreher, a lawyer specializing in commercial law, whom he suspects of committing fraud in the export of subsidized meat to Eastern Europe by re-importing the inedible meat with forged papers. While inspecting one of Dreher's trucks, Bienzel's colleague Gächter shoots one of the drivers when he pulls a gun. The other driver can escape in the truck.

After Bienzle paid Dreher a visit to his office, he met his old childhood friend Paul Stricker, a meat manufacturer, not knowing that he was involved in Dreher's machinations. Stricker invites Bienzle to his annual deer meal, a major event with representatives from business and politics. Then Stricker has an appointment with Dreher. The latter gives him an invoice for DM 160,000 for having enforced applications for subsidies in the Strickers ministry. When Stricker refuses to pay the amount, Dreher, who has a relationship with his daughter, tells him that he can blackmail him with information from his private life.

Stricker's double life is revealed during a visit to a dominatrix studio. He doesn't know that his daughter earns her money there. When she recognizes her father, she runs away. The two do not see each other again before the big roe deer meal, to which Bienzle and his partner Hannelore also appear. He suspects that Stricker is involved in criminal activities and confronts him, but receives no information. Cordula reveals her secret by appearing at the party in her dominatrix outfit. She learns that Dreher is blackmailing her father and lets him understand that she no longer wants to hear from him. It also turns out that Dreher owes the Ministerialrat Bossle money, whereupon he attacks Striker's wife Ingrid and tries to blackmail her. When Stricker notices this, he takes up a hunting rifle and shoots Dreher.

reception

"Clever scavenger hunt in Swabia"

- TV movie

Audience numbers

The premiere of the film had 11.14 million viewers on German television. It is one of the most watched Tatort episodes of the 1990s and 2000s. It is also the Bienzle crime scene with the second most viewers after the second episode of the series, Bienzle and the beautiful Lau .