Crime scene: Bienzle and the beautiful Lau

Episode of the series Tatort
Original title	Bienzle and the beautiful Lau
Country of production	Germany
original language	German
Production ; company	SDR
length	90 minutes
Age rating	FSK 12
classification	Episode 273 ( List )
First broadcast	March 28, 1993 on First German Television
Rod
Director	Hartmut Griesmayr
script	Felix Huby , Werner Zeindler
production	Dieter Streck
music	Roland Baumgartner
camera	Georg Steinweh
cut	Christiane Krafft
occupation
	Dietz-Werner Steck : Ernst Bienzle ; Rüdiger Wandel : Günter Gächter; Rita Russek : Hannelore Schmiedinger; Despina Pajanou : Vera Laible; Bernd Tauber : Fritz Laible; Matthias Ponnier : Eberhard Laible; Gerd David : Selnek; Jakob Wurster : Thomas Weinmann; Tatjana Clasing : Liz;

Bienzle and the beautiful Lau is an episode of the crime series Tatort . The first broadcast of the report produced by Süddeutscher Rundfunk took place on March 28, 1993 on First German Television . It is the 273rd episode in the film series and the second with Stuttgart inspector Ernst Bienzle. He investigates the murder of a cave diver in the Swabian Alb , which he is confronted with after confronting an escaped criminal.

Background and novel

The film is based on Huby's 1985 novel of the same title. It is therefore the first Bienzle crime scene that follows a novel. A new edition was later published as part of the Tatort series of authors by Weltbild and in 2005 by Fischer . The novel differs in essential points from the film adaptation. The parallel story about the escaped criminal Selnek can only be found in the film, in the novel Bienzle only goes to Blaubeuren to take a vacation there.

Spring pot with Blaubeuren monastery

The film was shot at the original location, the place Blaubeuren on the Swabian Alb . The Blautopf spring is the entrance to a complex cave system and therefore a popular place for cave divers. However, as is also discussed in the film, fatal accidents have occurred several times. Various legends surround the fascination with this source. These relate to the characteristic blue color and the alleged impossibility of determining the exact depth. The latter was prevented by a mermaid , the " beautiful Lau ", who is said to have stolen the lead weight.

action

Ernst Bienzle is planning to go on vacation to France with his partner Hannelore when he learns that Selnek, who has been convicted and convicted of manslaughter, has broken out of prison. He then travels to Blaubeuren , the hometown of the criminal, because he suspects that he will be found there. In the meantime, Selnek penetrates Bienzle and Hannelore's shared apartment and harasses it until she reveals Bienzle's whereabouts to him. After he has left the apartment, she notifies Bienzel's colleague Gächter and travels with him to Blaubeuren.

According to information from the farmer Fritz Laible, who gave Selnek shelter, Bienzle succeeds in finding him. Shortly afterwards, Laible is murdered underwater while diving in a cave in the Blautopf , whereupon Bienzle begins to investigate. Hannelore learns about Laible's broken marriage and his attractive wife Vera, who dreams of a life in the city. It is referred to by the people in the village as "beautiful Lau" based on the legendary figure. Before her husband's death, after a quarrel, she left the house and went to live with Eberhard Laible, her brother-in-law and former partner, who still loves her. After Fritz got most of the inheritance after the death of his father, the relationship between the brothers is badly damaged. Vera also has an affair with Thomas Weinmann, whose father in turn had a close relationship with Fritz Laible.

After Eberhard von Bienzle found out about Vera's affair with Weinmann, he confessed to Vera that he killed Fritz for her. When she reacts horrified, he attacks her, but Bienzle can catch her. When he was arrested, he learned that his brother Fritz had transferred the inheritance to him out of a guilty conscience.

reception

"High audience rating, but little depth"

- TV movie

Audience numbers

The premiere of the film had 12.72 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 most viewers when it was first broadcast.