A CASE FOR TWO (EIN FALL FÜR ZWEI) - SEASON 4 ON DVD (ELEPHANT FILMS)

To Monique Planson.

The cult German crime drama A Case for Two (Ein Fall für zwei) ran for 300 episodes between 1981 and 2013 on ZDF. Its fourth season is available in France on DVD since last month in the "Un cas pour deux - Intégrale saison 4" boxset (All Zone, 10 one-hour episodes) from Elephant Films.

Ein Fall für zwei was born from an idea by scriptwriters/producers Georg Althammer and Karl Heinz Willschrei, who wanted to create a crime drama whose main character wouldn't be a cop or an amateur sleuth. Experts in their craft, they worked for Bavaria Atelier on detective dramas like Graf Yoster gibt sich die Ehre (1967-1976). Karl Heinz Willschrei wrote the espionage series Alexander Zwo (1972) and several episodes of Tatort (1) or Der Alte (between 1977 and 1979). Althammer and Willschrei founded their own production company, called Monaco Film, in 1976. A subsidiary named Galmon-Film (later Odeon Film) was set up in 1981 to produce Ein Fall für zwei for the Freitagskrimi (Friday crime drama) line-up of ZDF. The concept pitched to the channel was a duo composed of a young lawyer and an experienced private eye. When Georg Althammer and Karl Heinz Willschrei were told that the great actor Günter Strack (The Odessa File, Torn Curtain) wanted to be in a TV series, they changed the tandem for an experienced lawyer — to be played by Strack — and a young detective. 

 

Georg Althammer gave the role of the private investigator to Claus Theo Gärtner. Regularly on stage like Günter Strack, Gärtner won of the Deutscher Filmpreis of the Best young actor for the film Zoff (1972). He played in the 1977 sci-fi TV movie Operation Ganymed and starred in the series Die Straße (1978). Ein Fall für zwei was launched by ZDF in September 1981 with a  pilot where Josef Matula (Gärtner), a Frankfurt police officer who quit the force, became the personal P.I. of lawyer Dr. Dieter Renz (Strack). Günter Strack left Ein Fall für zwei in 1988 after 60 episodes and the billiard player detective teamed up with three other lawyers during the impressively long run of the series (2). In autumn 2011, Claus Theo Gärtner expressed his desire to leave after 30 years as Josef Matula and he bowed out with the 300th episode in March 2013. Surprisingly, ZDF decided to revamp Ein Fall für Zwei around another attorney and private detective duo. The new version started in May 2014, with the same title and even a cameo of Claus Theo Gärtner (in 2015) but without  the famous theme music by jazz musician and television/film composer Klaus Doldinger (3).

 

Co-produced by ORF (Austria) and SRG (Switzerland) and sold in more than 50 countries, Ein Fall für Zwei arrived in France in 1991 and the series is regularly repeated there. For a long time, Klaus Doldinger's theme was replaced by a local intro but it was restored for French repeats and DVDs. The "Un cas pour deux - Intégrale saison 4" boxset from Elephant Films contains the 10 episodes of this exceptional 4th season,  shown on ZDF between January and December 1984.

 

- Totes Kapital. An excellent season premiere penned by Hans-G. Michel and helmed by Michael Meyer. Willi Kunze, a woodworker, is refused a loan for a surprising reason. With Bruno Dallansky (Willi), Karl Michael Vogler (Patton) as Klaus Altmann, Loni von Friedl (Doppelgänger) as Doris Zenker.

- Auf eigene Gefahr. An ex-girlfriend of Josef hires him because she thinks her husband is unfaithful. Matula's investigation takes an unexpected turn. With Gila von Weitershausen (Gerti Breuer). Written by Peter Hemmer and directed by Michael Mackenroth.

- Elf Jahre danach. Udo Lemke killed the first husband of Frauke Kuiper. As he's about to be released from prison she wants to prevent him from seeing her daughter Ann, who was a key witness during his trial. A great work by Karl Heinz Willschrei, directed by Michael Meyer. With Ursula Heyer (Frauke Kuiper), Rolf Becker (Udo Lemke).

- Chemie eines Mordes. Another great episode written by Karl Heinz Willschrei. Alexander Markus is suspected of a deadly hit and run. With Hansjörg Felmy (Tatort) as Markus, Hans Clarin (Danzer), Heidi Bruhl (Iloana Faber), Reiner Schöne (Alexander Birk). Directed by Eugen York.

- Die verlorene Nacht. A jigsaw puzzle devised by Karl Heinz Willschrei. With Christoph M. Ohrt (Edel & Starck, HeliCops - Einsatz über Berlin) as Uli Grass and Maja Maranow (Elke Kirch). Helmed by Kaspar Hedelbach.

- Zuckerbrot und Peitsche. Dieter Renz goes undercover in this episode written by Karl Heinz Willschrei and directed by Bernd Fischerauer. With Kathrin Ackermann (Mrs Hubschmid), Towje Kleiner (Mr Bertram). Actor Reiner Schöne, who appeared in Chemie eines Morders, is also a songwriter and singer. His Reiner Schöne Band made the music of this episode.

- Morgengrauen. A three-parter penned by Karl Heinz Willschrei and helmed by Michael Mackenroth. Initially aired by ZDF on November 16, 18 and 20, 1984. Matula works as the housekeeper of a villa where he finds a dead body. He's quickly accused of murder in this mysterious case partially filmed in Brittany and whose atmosphere reminds of Alexander Zwo. 

 

With Heidelinde Weis (Helga Winzer), Désirée Nosbusch (Nathalie Winzer), Edwin Noël (Prosecutor Ahrendt), Herbert Stass (Kirch), Armin Mueller-Stahl as Dr. Winzer, Yolande Gilot (Claudine), French actor Pierre Londiche as Leblanc, Thekla Carola Wied (Judge). Jürgen Schmidt, who plays Hauptkommisar Urban, played Kommissar Roland in the episode Die Verlorene Nacht. Music by Birger Heymann. Stunts of Part 2 by Rémy Julienne.

- Immer Ärger mit Ado. Ado, an old bricklayer, asks Renz for advice. With Wolfgang Reichmann (Ado), Heiner Lauterbach (Kluge). Written by Karl Heinz Willschrei and directed by Ilse Hoffmann.

From 2017 and 2019, Claus Theo Gärtner returned to his signature role for three 90-minute specials. All the episodes of the "Un cas pour deux - Intégrale saison 4" boxset are in French and in German (without subtitles), except for Zuckerbrot und Peitsche  (in German with subtitles). Bonus material consists of a photo gallery and the trailers of some other titles of Elephant Films: Highway to Heaven, The Rockford Files, Inspector Morse, A Touch of Frost and Wycliffe.  German crime cult dramas Derrick and Der Alte are available from Elephant too and reviewed on this blog.

(1) The crime drama collection of ARD, launched in 1970 and still aired today. Karl Heinz Willschrei penned 10 Tatort TV movies, including the most watched episode ever, Rot - rot - rot (26.57 million viewers in 1978).

(2) Dr. Rainer Frank (Rainer Hunold, 1988-1997), Dr. Johannes Voss (Mathias Hermann, 1997-2000) and Dr. Markus Lessing (Paul Frielinghaus, 2001-2013).

(3) Founder of the band Passport, Klaus Doldinger composed the music of classics such as The Neverending Story (Die unendliche Geschichte, 1984) and Das Boot (1981) or the theme of Tatort.

 

https://fr.shopping.rakuten.com/mfp/8444898/un-cas-pour-deux?pid=10287802134

http://www.elephantfilms.com/

 

See also:

 

https://tattard2.blogspot.com/2022/12/a-case-for-two-ein-fall-fur-zwei-season.html (Ein Fall für zwei - Season 3)

https://tattard2.blogspot.com/2022/10/a-case-for-two-ein-fall-fur-zwei-season.html (Ein Fall für zwei - Season 2)

https://tattard2.blogspot.com/2022/06/a-case-for-two-ein-fall-fur-zwei-season.html (Ein Fall für zwei - Season 1)

https://tattard2.blogspot.com/2017/04/matula-zdf_28.html (Matula #1)
https://tattard2.blogspot.com/2018/04/matula-der-schatten-des-berges-zdf.html (Matula #2)
https://tattard2.blogspot.com/2019/04/matula-tod-auf-mallorca-zdf.html (Matula #3)

A CASE FOR TWO (EIN FALL FÜR ZWEI) - SEASON 3 ON DVD (ELEPHANT FILMS)

 To Monique Planson.

The cult German crime drama A Case for Two (Ein Fall für zwei) ran for 300 episodes between 1981 and 2013 on ZDF. Its  third season is now available in France on DVD in the "Un cas pour deux - Intégrale saison 3" boxset (All Zone, 7 one-hour episodes) from Elephant Films.

Ein Fall für zwei was born from an idea by scriptwriters/producers Georg Althammer and Karl Heinz Willschrei, who wanted to create a crime drama whose main character wouldn't be a cop or an amateur sleuth. Experts in their craft, they worked for Bavaria Atelier on detective dramas like Graf Yoster gibt sich die Ehre (1967-1976). Karl Heinz Willschrei wrote the espionage series Alexander Zwo (1972) and several episodes of Tatort (1) or Der Alte (between 1977 and 1979). Althammer and Willschrei founded their own production company, called Monaco Film, in 1976. A subsidiary named Galmon-Film (later Odeon Film) was set up in 1981 to produce Ein Fall für zwei for the Freitagskrimi (Friday crime drama) line-up of ZDF. The concept pitched to the channel was a duo composed of a young lawyer and an experienced private eye. When Georg Althammer and Karl Heinz Willschrei were told that the great actor Günter Strack (The Odessa File, Torn Curtain) wanted to be in a TV series, they changed the tandem for an experienced lawyer — to be played by Strack — and a young detective. 

 

Georg Althammer gave the role of the private investigator to Claus Theo Gärtner. Regularly on stage like Günter Strack, Gärtner won of the Deutscher Filmpreis of the Best young actor for the film Zoff (1972). He played in the 1977 sci-fi TV movie Operation Ganymed and starred in the series Die Straße (1978). Ein Fall für zwei was launched by ZDF in September 1981 with a  pilot where Josef Matula (Gärtner), a Frankfurt police officer who quit the force, became the personal P.I. of lawyer Dr. Dieter Renz (Strack). Günter Strack left Ein Fall für zwei in 1988 after 60 episodes and the billiard player detective teamed up with three other lawyers during the impressively long run of the series (2). In autumn 2011, Claus Theo Gärtner expressed his desire to leave after 30 years as Josef Matula and he bowed out with the 300th episode in March 2013. Surprisingly, ZDF decided to revamp Ein Fall für Zwei around another attorney and private detective duo. The new version started in May 2014, with the same title and even a cameo of Claus Theo Gärtner (in 2015) but without  the famous theme music by jazz musician and television/film composer Klaus Doldinger (3).

 

Co-produced by ORF (Austria) and SRG (Switzerland) and sold in more than 50 countries, Ein Fall für Zwei arrived in France in 1991 and the series is regularly repeated there. For a long time, Klaus Doldinger's theme was replaced by a local intro but it was restored for French repeats and DVDs. The "Un cas pour deux - Intégrale saison 3" boxset from Elephant Films contains the 7 episodes of this perfect 3rd season, shown on ZDF between January and November 1983. 

 

- Zwielicht. An excellent episode written by Peter Hemmer (Tatort) and directed by Eugen York. Dr. Renz's cleaning lady worries for her grandson. The young man is arrested for drug trafficking. With Barbara Rudnik (Sigrid Vorholz), Peter Sattmann (Erich Drigalski), Liesel Christ (Mrs Schreber), Gerhard Theisen (Georg Schreber), etc.

- Das Opfer. Penned by the maestro Karl Heinz Willschrei and helmed by Michael Lähn. Matula becomes the bodyguard of Almut Nolde (Cornelia Froebess) after someone tried to kill her. With Bernd Ripken (Harald Nolde), Claus Eberth (Georg Wilke), Claus-Dieter Reents (Kommissar).

- Herr Pankratz, bitte!. A very good episode written by Wolfgang Mühlbauer (Graf Yoster gibt sich die Ehre) and directed by Eugen York. Mr. Pankratz (Wolgang Bathke, Im namen des Gesetzes) is accused of murder.

- Der Zeuge. A man is found dead after an argument with his wife. Written by Karl Heinz Willschrei and directed by Hans-Jürgen Tögel. The great Hannelore Elsner, who later became Lea Sommer in Die Kommissarin (1994-2006) (4), plays Janine Krüger. With Sky du Mont (another great actor) as a bartender!

- Tödliches Viereck. A jigsaw puzzle penned by Manfred D. Lisson and helmed by Theo Mezger. With Monika Lundi (Karin Werner), Peter Arens (Dr. Werner), Claudia Wedekind (Susanne Krüger), Arthur Brauss (Harald Krüger), Ulli Kinalzik, etc.

- Strich durch die Rechnung. Agnes Beaufort (Edda Pastor), a friend of Dr. Renz who married a French industrialist, is kidnapped while in Frankfurt. Written by Karl Heinz Willschrei and directed by Theo Mezger. With Harald Leipnitz (Claude Beaufort), Dieter Eppler, Lis Verhoeven, etc.

- Die große Wut des kleinen Paschirbe. A masterpiece penned by German crime writer -ky, the pseudonym of sociologist, author and scriptwriter Horst Bosetzky. Heinz Schubert (Ein Herz und eine Seele) (5) is amazing as Paschirbe, a man who thinks he has found an opportunity for revenge. Wolfgang Preiss (the Mabuse movies) appears as Alfred Rohloff. With Louise Martini (Eva Fuhrmann), Harald Kuhlmann (Hans-Joachim Rimbach), Sylvia Haider (Erika Rimbach). Helmed by Michael Lähn.

From 2017 and 2019, Claus Theo Gärtner returned to his signature role for three 90-minute specials. Season 8 of the revamped Ein Fall für zwei was shown last spring on ZDF. The 7 episodes of the "Un cas pour deux - Intégrale saison 3" boxset are available in French and in German (without subtitles). Bonus material consists of a photo gallery and the trailers of some other titles of Elephant Films, like Mike Hammer (with Stacy Keach), Frank Riva (starring Alain Delon), Commissaire Valence, etc. German crime cult dramas Derrick and Der Alte are available from Elephant too and reviewed on this blog.

(1) The crime drama collection of ARD, launched in 1970 and still aired today. Karl Heinz Willschrei penned 10 Tatort TV movies, including the most watched episode ever, Rot - rot - rot (26.57 million viewers in 1978).

(2) Dr. Rainer Frank (Rainer Hunold, 1988-1997), Dr. Johannes Voss (Mathias Hermann, 1997-2000) and Dr. Markus Lessing (Paul Frielinghaus, 2001-2013).

(3) Founder of the band Passport, Klaus Doldinger composed the music of classics such as The Neverending Story (Die unendliche Geschichte, 1984) and Das Boot (1981) or the theme of Tatort.

(4) Co-created by Georg Althammer.

(5) Ein Herz und eine Seele (1973-1976) was the German version of the British sitcom Till Death Us Do Part (1965-1975), itself adapted in the U.S. as All in the Family (1971-1979).

 

https://fr.shopping.rakuten.com/mfp/8444898/un-cas-pour-deux?pid=9498097334

http://www.elephantfilms.com/

 

See also:

 

https://tattard2.blogspot.com/2022/10/a-case-for-two-ein-fall-fur-zwei-season.html (Ein Fall für zwei - Season 2 on DVD)

https://tattard2.blogspot.com/2022/06/a-case-for-two-ein-fall-fur-zwei-season.html (Ein Fall für zwei - Season 1 on DVD)

https://tattard2.blogspot.com/2017/04/matula-zdf_28.html (Matula #1)
https://tattard2.blogspot.com/2018/04/matula-der-schatten-des-berges-zdf.html (Matula #2)
https://tattard2.blogspot.com/2019/04/matula-tod-auf-mallorca-zdf.html (Matula #3) 

A CASE FOR TWO (EIN FALL FÜR ZWEI) - SEASON 2 ON DVD (ELEPHANT FILMS)

To Monique Planson.

The cult German crime drama A Case for Two (Ein Fall für zwei) ran for 300 episodes from 1981 to 2013 on ZDF. Its  second season is now available in France on DVD in the "Un cas pour deux - Intégrale saison 2" boxset (7 one-hour episodes) from Elephant Films (1).

Ein Fall für zwei was born from an idea by scriptwriters/producers Georg Althammer and Karl Heinz Willschrei, who wanted to create a crime drama whose main character wouldn't be a cop or an amateur sleuth. Experts in their craft, they worked for Bavaria Atelier on detective dramas like Graf Yoster gibt sich die Ehre (1967-1976). Karl Heinz Willschrei wrote the espionage series Alexander Zwo (1972) and several episodes of Tatort (2) or Der Alte (between 1977 and 1979). Althammer and Willschrei founded their own production company, called Monaco Film, in 1976. A subsidiary named Galmon-Film (later Odeon Film) was set up in 1981 to produce Ein Fall für zwei for the Freitagskrimi (Friday crime drama) line-up of ZDF. The concept pitched to the channel was a duo composed of a young lawyer and an experienced private eye. When Georg Althammer and Karl Heinz Willschrei were told that the great actor Günter Strack (The Odessa File, Torn Curtain) wanted to be in a TV series, they changed the tandem for an experienced lawyer — to be played by Strack — and a young detective. 

 

Georg Althammer gave the role of the private investigator to Claus Theo Gärtner. Regularly on stage like Günter Strack, Gärtner won of the Deutscher Filmpreis of the Best young actor for the film Zoff (1972). He played in the 1977 sci-fi TV movie Operation Ganymed and starred in the series Die Straße (1978). Ein Fall für zwei was launched by ZDF in September 1981 with a 75-minute pilot where Josef Matula (Gärtner), a Frankfurt police officer who quit the force after a romance with the sister of a young delinquent, became the personal P.I. of lawyer Dr. Dieter Renz (Strack). Günter Strack left Ein Fall für zwei in 1988 after 60 episodes and the billiard player detective teamed up with three other lawyers during the impressively long run of the series (3). In autumn 2011, Claus Theo Gärtner expressed his desire to leave after 30 years as Josef Matula and he bowed out with the 300th episode in March 2013. Surprisingly, ZDF decided to revamp Ein Fall für Zwei around another attorney and private detective duo. The new version started in May 2014, with the same title and even a cameo of Claus Theo Gärtner (in 2015) but without  the famous theme music by jazz musician and television/film composer Klaus Doldinger (4).

 

Co-produced by ORF (Austria) and SRG (Switzerland) and sold in more than 50 countries, Ein Fall für Zwei arrived in France in 1991 and the series is regularly repeated there. For a long time, Klaus Doldinger's theme was replaced by a local intro but it was restored for French repeats and DVDs. The "Un cas pour deux - Intégrale saison 2" 4-disc DVD boxset from Elephant Films opens with the excellent Tollwut, written by Karl Heinz Willschrei and directed by Theo Metzger (Raumpatrouille Orion). A rich widow and her young son walk in the woods with their dobermans when an aged man shoots the dogs with his riffle. Walther Buschoff (Les nouvelles aventures de Vidocq) plays Johannes Straub. The equally excellent Der Jäger als Hase was penned by jurist, writer, historian and composer Herbert Rosendorfer. Prosecuting attorney Weiermüller (Gerd Böckmann) asks Dr. Renz for advice because he's accused of traffic offenses committed by a vehicle with his license plate. Horst Sachtleben plays Windle in this episode helmed by Peter Weck. 

 

Wilfried Klaus (SOKO 5113/SOKO München) and Charles Brauer (Tatort) are amongst the guest cast of Kratzer im Lack, written by Wolgang Storch (Star Maidens). After a drunken dinner, a client of Dr. Renz wants to brings back a young woman to her home but he damages a car. The same night, a murder is committed in her building. Novelist and scriptwriter Irene Rodrian, author of several Jerry Cotton books, winner of the Edgar Wallace Prize for Tod in St. Pauli (1967) and writer of novels for children and young adults, is behind the both brilliant Überstunden and Alte Pistolen. In the former, Matula has just lost his appartment when Renz asks him to find a missing 14-year old girl (Julia Biedermann). In Alte Pistolen, the lawyer meets a seductive lady (Judy Winter) who says that her husband (Peer Augustinski) wants to kill her. Respectively directed by Wolgang Luderer and Peter Weck. Ulrich Matschoss, best known as the boss of Schimanski in Tatort, is great as Eduard Seifert in Nervenkrieg. Seifert claims that his wife and Otto Cassner, his son-in-law, want to take over his nightclubs and that Otto tried to get him killed. Matula teams up with "Philip Marlowe" (Gerd Baltus). Cassner is played by Sigmar Solbach, who later starred in Dr. Stefan Frank - Der Arzt, dem die Frauen vertrauen (1995-2001). Written by Enno Hollrath and helmed by Peter Weck.

This most satisfying second season concludes with Partner, penned by Peter Hemmer and directed by Michael Lähn. Klaus Sperber hires Matula because he suspects his wife is having an affair with his business partner. Guest starring Robert Atzorn and Ivan Desny. From 2017 and 2019, Claus Theo Gärtner returned to his signature role for three 90-minute specials. Season 8 of the revamped Ein Fall für zwei was shown last spring on ZDF. The 7 episodes of the "Un cas pour deux - Intégrale saison 2" boxset are available in French or in German (without subtitles). Bonus material is comprised of a photo gallery and the trailers of some other titles of Elephant Films, like Mr. Merlin, Der Alte, American Gothic, The Blue and the Gray and From Here to Eternity (the 1979 miniseries).

(1) All Zone. The first episode of this second season is in the "Un cas pour deux - Intégrale saison 1" boxset from Elephant Films.

(2) The crime drama collection of ARD, launched in 1970 and still aired today. Karl Heinz Willschrei penned 10 Tatort TV movies, including the most watched episode ever, Rot - rot - rot (26.57 million viewers on January 1, 1978).

(3) Dr. Rainer Frank (Rainer Hunold, 1988-1997), Dr. Johannes Voss (Mathias Hermann, 1997-2000) and Dr. Markus Lessing (Paul Frielinghaus, 2001-2013).

(4) Founder of the band Passport, Klaus Doldinger composed the music of classics such as The Neverending Story (Die unendliche Geschichte, 1984) and Das Boot (1981) or the theme of Tatort.

 

https://fr.shopping.rakuten.com/offer?action=desc&aid=11247783433&productid=9127469666

http://www.elephantfilms.com/

https://fr.shopping.rakuten.com/boutique/ElephantFilm

https://www.zauberspiegel-online.de/index.php/frage-antwort/im-gesprch-mit-mainmenu-179/34716-irene-rodrian-ueber-jerry-cotton-tod-in-st-pauli-und-ihre-barcelona-krimis (An interview of Irene Rodrian)

http://www.irenerodrian.de/

See also:

 

https://tattard2.blogspot.com/2022/06/a-case-for-two-ein-fall-fur-zwei-season.html (Ein Fall für zwei - Season 1 on DVD)

https://tattard2.blogspot.com/2017/04/matula-zdf_28.html (Matula #1)
https://tattard2.blogspot.com/2018/04/matula-der-schatten-des-berges-zdf.html (Matula #2)
https://tattard2.blogspot.com/2019/04/matula-tod-auf-mallorca-zdf.html (Matula #3)

A CASE FOR TWO (EIN FALL FÜR ZWEI) - SEASON 1 ON DVD (ELEPHANT FILMS)

 To Monique Planson.

 

The cult German crime drama A Case for Two (Ein Fall für zwei) ran for 300 episodes from 1981 to 2013 on ZDF. Its  first season (5 episodes) is now available in France on DVD in the "Un cas pour deux - Intégrale saison 1" boxset from Elephant Films.

Ein Fall für zwei was born from an idea by scriptwriters/producers Georg Althammer and Karl Heinz Willschrei, who wanted to make a crime drama whose main character wouldn't be a cop or an amateur sleuth. Experts in their craft, both worked for Bavaria Atelier on detective dramas like Der Nachtkurier meldet... (1964-1966) or  Graf Yoster gibt sich die Ehre (1967-1976). Karl Heinz Willschrei wrote the espionage series Alexander Zwo (1972). He also penned several episodes of Tatort (1) and Der Alte (between 1977 and 1979). Althammer and Willschrei founded their own production company, called Monaco Film, in 1976. A subsidiary named Galmon-Film (later Odeon Film) was set up in 1981 to produce Ein Fall für zwei for the Freitagskrimi (Friday crime drama) line-up of ZDF. The concept pitched to the channel was a duo composed of a young lawyer and an experienced private eye. When Georg Althammer and Karl Heinz Willschrei were told that the great actor Günter Strack (The Odessa File, Torn Curtain) wanted to be in a TV series, they changed the tandem for an experienced lawyer — to be played by Strack — and a young detective.

Georg Althammer gave the role of the P.I. to Claus Theo Gärtner. Regularly on stage like Günter Strack, Gärtner won of the Deutscher Filmpreis of the Best young actor for the film Zoff (1972). He played in the 1977 sci-fi TV movie Operation Ganymed and starred in the series Die Straße (1978).  Ein Fall für zwei was launched by ZDF in September 1981 (2) with a 75-minute pilot titled Die große Schwester. Josef Matula (Gärtner), a 31-year old police officer in Frankfurt am Main, starts a romance with the sister of a young delinquent against whom he testified in court. The behaviour of his girlsfriend's brother, defended by lawyer Dr. Dieter Renz (Strack), puts his career in jeopardy and he decides to quit the force. Renz, who finds Josef sympathetic, hires him as his private investigator. Günter Strack left Ein Fall für zwei in 1988 after 60 episodes and the billiard player detective teamed up with three other lawyers during the impressively long run of the series: Dr. Rainer Frank (Rainer Hunold, 1988-1997), Dr. Johannes Voss (Mathias Hermann, 1997-2000) and Dr. Markus Lessing (Paul Frielinghaus, 2001-2013). 

In autumn 2011, Claus Theo Gärtner expressed his desire to leave after 30 years as Josef Matula. The duo Matula-Lessing bowed out with Letzte Worte, the 300th episode, in March 2013. Surprisingly, ZDF decided to revamp Ein Fall für Zwei around attorney Benjamin "Benni" Hornberg (Antoine Monot, Jr.) and private detective Leo Oswald (Wanja Hues). The new version started in May 2014, with the same title and even a cameo of Claus Theo Gärtner (in 2015) but minus the famous theme intro by jazz musician and television/film composer Klaus Doldinger. Founder of the band Passport, Doldinger composed the music of classics such as The Neverending Story (Die unendliche Geschichte, 1984) and Das Boot (1981) or the theme of Tatort. Sold in more than 50 countries, the original Ein Fall für Zwei arrived in France in 1991 and the series is still repeated there. For a long time, Klaus Doldinger's work was replaced by a local intro but it was restored for repeats. The "Un cas pour deux - Intégrale saison 1" 3-disc DVD boxset from Elephant Films, which has the right theme, contains the following episodes (one-hour except for the pilot):

- Die große Schwester (65-minute version). Written by Karl Heinz Willschrei and directed by Wolfgang Storch (Star Maidens). With Daniela Ziegler (Laura Schneider), Michael Drescher-Stierhofer (Paul Schneider), Eva Pflug (Raumpatrouille Orion) as a judge, Ludwig Haas (Wunderlich), etc. Music by Rolf Kühn (The Vengeance of Doctor Mabuse/La venganza del doctor Mabuse). In French or in German (without subtitles).

- Fuchsjagd. A brilliant episode written by Plym Pahl (Graf Yoster gibt sich die Ehre, Okay S.I.R.) & Enno Hollrath and directed by Reinhard Schwabenitzky. Claus Brinkstedt, a former horse riding champion, tells his friend Dr. Renz that he wants to divorce his wife Charlotte. After he dies during a fox hunt event, an insurance company asks Matula to investigate. With Hannelore Cremer (Charlotte), Dietmar Schönherr (Raumpatrouille Orion) as Claus, Joachim Wichmann (Dr. Rasch), Henry Van Lyck (Dr. Schultzen), Dirk Galuba (Dr. Muller-Adorni), etc. In German with subtitles.

- Das Haus in Frankreich. A masterpiece penned by Willshrei. Produced and helmed by Hans Peter Renfranz (Der Alte). Birgit Weißenborn, an old flame of Dieter Renz, asks him to serve as an intermediary for the sale of her family house in France. She wants to use the money to buy a paint factory without telling her husband. Fans of the Edgar Wallace film series will recognize Barbara Rutting as Birgit. With Karl Heinz Vosgerau (Konrad Weißenborn). The music is from American composer Sam Spence (the NFL films, Wie ein Blitz). In French or in German (without subtitles).

- Todfreunde. Another piece of brilliance from Karl Heinz Willschrei. Directed by Michael Braun (Graf Yoster gibt sich die Ehre, Raumpatrouille Orion). Dr. Renz receives Matula and some guests for dinner at his home when a young man named Armin Fest wants to see the lawyer. He says he has just killed his girlfriend. Alexander Radszun is fabulous as Armin. Also with Brigitte Grothum (Prosecuting attorney), Hans Häckermann (Horst Senftleben), Siemen Rühaak (Lutz Hegart), etc. Music by Klaus Doldinger. In French or in German (without subtitles).

- Brandstiftung. This excellent episode, written by Werner Doering and helmed by Peter Weck, is actually the first of Season 2. Hans Hohmann, an alcoholic, is accused of burning down the car rental company of his ex-employer. With Ilse Neubauer (Margot Hohmann), Dieter Hufschmidt (Hans Hohmann), Karl-Heinz von Hassel (Tatort) as Ellerwein, Dieter Prochnow (Bender). Music by Andre Bauer. In French only.

Besides Ein Fall für Zwei, Georg Althammer and Karl Heinz Willschrei continued to provide their expertise in the crime genre with three episodes of Eurocops (in 1989, 1990 and 1991), private channel Sat.1's hit Wolffs Revier (1992-1999) or A.S. (1995-1998). Althammer produced Die Kommissarin (1994-2006), starring Hannelore Elsner. From 2017 and 2019, Claus Theo Gärtner returned to his signature role for three 90-minute specials. Season 8 of the revamped Ein Fall für zwei was shown recently by ZDF. Bonus material of the "Un cas pour deux - Intégrale saison 1" boxset is comprised of a photo gallery and the trailers of some other titles of Elephant Films, like the German crime drama Derrick, Hunter (with Fred Dryer), Fantasy Island, The Virginian and The Quest (with Kurt Russell and Tim Matheson). After Derrick and Ein Fall für zwei, Elephant will release a boxset of the 10th season from Der Alte in July.

(1) The crime drama collection of ARD, launched in 1970 and still aired today. Karl Heinz Willschrei penned 10 Tatort TV movies, including the most watched episode ever, Rot - rot - rot (26.57 million viewers on January 1, 1978).
(2) ZDF aired the first season of Ein Fall für zwei from September 11, 1981 to December 18, 1981 in alternance with Der Alte and Derrick.

https://fr.shopping.rakuten.com/offer?action=desc&aid=10473716413&productid=8492160797
http://www.elephantfilms.com/
https://fr.shopping.rakuten.com/boutique/ElephantFilm
https://tattard2.blogspot.com/2022/06/derrick-seasons-1-2-french-region-2-dvd.html (Derrick on DVD)

See also:

https://tattard2.blogspot.com/2017/04/matula-zdf_28.html (Matula #1)
https://tattard2.blogspot.com/2018/04/matula-der-schatten-des-berges-zdf.html (Matula #2)
https://tattard2.blogspot.com/2019/04/matula-tod-auf-mallorca-zdf.html (Matula #3)

LAST MONTH ON THIS BLOG

So...

REVIEWS

- Matula - Tod auf Mallorca (ZDF):

https://tattard2.blogspot.com/2019/04/matula-tod-auf-mallorca-zdf.html

- Collection Fred Vargas: Quand sort la recluse (France 3):

https://tattard2.blogspot.com/2019/04/collection-fred-vargas-quand-sort-la.html

- Capitaine Marleau: Une voix dans la nuit (France 3):

https://tattard2.blogspot.com/2019/04/capitaine-marleau-une-voix-dans-la-nuit.html

MATULA - TOD AUF MALLORCA (ZDF)

To Monique Planson.

The legendary private detective Josef Matula and his dog Renz are back.

« Detektiv und'n Anwalt... Gab's da nicht schon mal'ne Fernsehserie?»

Claus Theo Gärtner (born in 1943) first portrayed the street-smart, working-class Hermann Josef Matula in Ein Fall für Zwei ("A case for two"). The long-running series, created by Georg Althammer and Karl Heinz Willschrei for Galmon Film (later Odeon Film), was about a private investigator and a defense attorney who solved crimes in Frankfurt am Main. Matula was 31 when it started on German pubcaster ZDF in 1981. When his partnership with Dr. Dieter Renz (Günter Strack) ended in 1988, the character teamed up with three other lawyers: Dr. Rainer Frank (Rainer Hunold, 1988-1997), Dr. Johannes Voss (Mathias Hermann, 1997-2000) and Dr. Markus Lessing (Paul Frielinghaus, 2001-2013).

In autumn 2011, Gärtner expressed his desire to leave after 30 years. The duo Matula-Lessing bowed out with the 300th episode in March 2013. Surprisingly, ZDF decided to revamp Ein Fall für Zwei around attorney Benjamin "Benni" Hornberg (Antoine Monot, Jr.) and p.i. Leo Oswald (Wanja Hues). With the same title but minus the famous theme composed by the great Klaus Doldinger (The Neverending Story, Das Boot, Tatort), the new version debuted in May 2014 and is still running. Claus Theo Gärtner even had a cameo in an episode. And every Good Friday since 2017, Herr Gärtner returns as one of the most popular characters of German television in Matula, a series of 90-minute specials penned by Ben Braeunlich (Tatort).

Matula - Tod auf Mallorca brings Josef Matula and his dog Renz (named after his first lawyer partner) in Mallorca, the largest of the Balearic islands. The detective must sail a yacht to one of the favourite destinations of German tourists for a rich client named Peter Janek. Once arrived, he meets Ingo Schumann, a yacht owner, and his companion Karin Weißbach. The morning after, Matula finds the dead body of Schumann floating in the harbour basin. Karin is quickly arrested for murder by Comisario Raphael Herras, the head of the local police. Josef discovers that the victim had other women in in his life and many secrets. From a golf course to a local club, via hotel balconies, he gets so close to the truth that someone wants him out of the island... or even dead.

Tod auf Mallorca is another brilliant case of the ever resourceful private eye played with panache and self-derision by Claus Theo Gärtner. Director Daniel Helfer (the SOKO franchise, Balko), who succeeds to Thorsten Näter, worked with the actor on a 2011 episode of Ein Fall für Zweï. Both Helfer and cinematographer Mathias Neumann sure know how to take advantage of the gorgeous locations. Guest starring Heike Trinker (Karin Weißbach), Proschat Madani (Der letzte Bülle) as Angela Bremer, Violetta Schurawlow (Maria Schubert-Sanchez), Carlos Lobo (Raphael Herras), Michael Roll (Kommissarin Lucas) as Robert Bremer, Jochen Horst (Balko) as Ingo Schumann, Tonio Arango (Silvio Mendes), etc.

Produced by Odeon TV (for ZDF and Austria's ORF) and distributed by ZDF Enterprises. Anette Kaufmann produces. Michael Bauernfeind and Rolf Wappenschmitt exec produce. Thomas Höbbel is the line producer. The excellent music was composed by Nikolaus Glowna. Matula - Tod auf Mallorca was filmed between October and November 2018. The real name of Matula's dog is Mumford and he's trained by Charlott Arzberger.

https://presseportal.zdf.de/pm/matula-tod-auf-mallorca/
https://www.mallorcazeitung.es/gesellschaft/2018/11/01/raubein-matula-ermittelt-palmen-mallorca/63750.html
http://www.quotenmeter.de/n/108775/der-alte-verteidigt-gesamt-sieg-auch-an-karfreitag-dritter-matula-mit-abstrichen (Ratings)

See also:

https://tattard2.blogspot.com/2018/04/matula-der-schatten-des-berges-zdf.html (Matula - Des Schatten des Berges)
https://tattard2.blogspot.com/2017/04/matula-zdf_28.html (Matula - Wer Wind sät)

LAST MONTH ON THIS BLOG

So... 

 

REVIEWS 

- Capitaine Marleau (France 3):

https://tattard2.blogspot.fr/2018/04/capitaine-marleau-le-jeune-homme-et-la.html (Le jeune homme et la mort)

https://tattard2.blogspot.fr/2018/04/capitaine-marleau-sang-et-lumiere.html (Sang et lumière)

- Les petits meurtres d'Agatha Christie - Meurtres en solde (France 2):

https://tattard2.blogspot.fr/2018/04/les-petits-meurtres-dagatha-christie.html
 
- Matula - Des Schatten des Berges (ZDF):

https://tattard2.blogspot.fr/2018/04/matula-der-schatten-des-berges-zdf.html

MATULA - DER SCHATTEN DES BERGES (ZDF)

[Spoiler-Free] Why is Josef Matula with a forehead injury and pursued by men who look like hunters? Wasn't he supposed to be on holidays in Italy with his dog Renz?

Following the success of Matula - Wer Wind Sät last easter, Claus Theo Gärtner returns on ZDF as private detective Matula in a new 90-minute film.

The bottom line: Legends don't retire.

Claus Theo Gärtner (born in 1943) first portrayed the street-smart, working-class Hermann Josef Matula in Ein Fall für Zwei ("A case for two"). The long-running series, created by Georg Althammer and Karl Heinz Willschrei for Galmon Film (later Odeon Film), was about a private investigator and a defense attorney who solve crimes in Frankfurt am Main. Matula was 31 when it started on pubcaster ZDF in 1981. When his partnership with Dr. Dieter Renz (Günter Strack) ended in 1988, the character teamed up with three other lawyers: Dr. Rainer Frank (Rainer Hunold, 1988-1997), Dr. Johannes Voss (Mathias Hermann, 1997-2000) and Dr. Markus Lessing (Paul Frielinghaus, 2001-2013).

In autumn 2011, Gärtner expressed his desire to leave after 30 years. The duo Matula-Lessing bowed out with the 300th episode in March 2013. Surprisingly, ZDF decided to revamp Ein Fall für Zwei around attorney Benjamin "Benni" Hornberg (Antoine Monot, Jr.) and p.i. Leo Oswald (Wanja Hues). With the same title but minus the famous theme composed by the great Klaus Doldinger (The Neverending Story, Das Boot, Tatort), the new version debuted in May 2014. Claus Theo Gärtner even had a cameo in a 2015 episode. Last year, the legend returned in his own 90-minute special, Matula (aka Matula - Wer Wind sät), written by Ben Braeunlich and directed by Thorsten Näter.

5.26m viewers (16.8%) watched this brilliant comeback TV movie, aired by ZDF on Good Friday. Hence the commission of Matula - Des Schatten des Berges, an equally brilliant new case from the same writer and helmer. Josef Matula travels to Italy with Renz, his dog named after his first lawyer partner. They're in the Allgäu Alps when his Volkswagen minibus breaks down close to a winter sports resort. Josef stay with Renz at a guest house during the repair of his vehicle. At the inn, he witnesses an altercation between Martin Wiesner, the butcher, and businessman/mayor Peter Otting. Later, Matula walks near the mountain when he finds the body of Wiesner.

The local police concludes it was an accident. The detective disagrees and leads his own investigation against the villagers. Though clearly classic, the plot has all the ingredients that Ben Braeunlich successfully used in the previous film, starting with an appropriate sense of self-derision. Claus Theo Gärtner is masterful as the underdog old school private detective who still has resources. Director Thorsten Näter and cinematographer Joachim Hasse know how to take advantage of the gorgeous locations. The guest cast is perfect and it's quite moving to see the great Hans-Michael Rehberg (who plays Father Bornholt) in one of his final roles for television (1).

Also starring Frederick Linkemann (Valentin Leipold), Harald Windisch (Janosch Grebe), Marlene Morreis (Nora Wiesner), Martin Feifel (Peter Otting), Ferdinand Dörfler (Stefan Kleber), Joachim Raaf (Ludwig Berger), Eisi Gulp (Cyclist), etc. Matula - Des Schatten des Berges is produced by Odeon TV (for ZDF and Austria's ORF). Anette Kaufmann and Klaus Laudi are the producers. Peter Nawrotzki exec produces. Andrea Wetzel is the line producer. The excellent music was composed by Axel Donner. The real name of Matula's (fabulous) dog is Mumford and he's trained by Charlott Arzberger. Aired on this year's Good Friday, Matula - Des Schatten des Berges attracted 5.09m viewers (16.7%).

(1) Hans-Michael Rehberg died in November 2017.

Review of Matula - Wer Wind sät:

https://tattard2.blogspot.fr/2017/04/matula-zdf_28.html

See also:

https://presseportal.zdf.de/pm/matula-der-schatten-des-berges/
Primetime-Check: Karfreitag, 30. März 2018 – Quotenmeter.de (Ratings)
http://krimiserien.heimat.eu/f/ein_fall_fuer_zwei.htm

[Update - May 27, 2019] 

Review of Matula - Matula - Tod auf Mallorca (Matula #3):

https://tattard2.blogspot.com/2019/04/matula-tod-auf-mallorca-zdf.html 

LAST MONTH ON THIS BLOG

Well, at least we had something on this blog last month. And we did it with only one fully functional eye (seriously). 

 
REVIEWS

- Matula (ZDF):

http://tattard2.blogspot.fr/2017/04/matula-zdf_28.html

- Witnesses/Les Témoins - Series 2 (French Region 2 DVD): 

http://tattard2.blogspot.fr/2017/04/witnesses-les-temoins-series-2-french.html

- Black Forest Clinic 1 (First half of S1, French Region 2 DVD):

http://tattard2.blogspot.fr/2017/04/black-forest-clinic-1-first-half-of-s1.html

- Les petits meurtres d'Agatha Christie (France 2):

http://tattard2.blogspot.fr/2017/04/les-petits-meurtres-dagatha-christie-le.html (Le miroir se brisa)

NEWS

- An interview with Lee Goldberg:

http://tattard2.blogspot.fr/2017/04/an-interview-with-lee-goldberg.html

MATULA (ZDF)

[Spoiler-Free] Things are not going well for Josef Matula. Why is he lying unconscious on a North Sea beach? Maybe he should have kept his job in a Frankfurt department store. 

But private investigator is what Matula does best. Four years after his final episode of Ein Fall für Zwei, Claus Theo Gärtner returns as Josef Matula. A German television legend is back. 

Claus Theo Gärtner (born in 1943) first portrayed the street-smart, working-class Hermann Josef Matula in Ein Fall für Zwei ("A case for two"). The long-running series, created by Georg Althammer and Karl Heinz Willschrei for Galmon Film (later Odeon Film), was about a private investigator and a defense attorney who solve crimes in Frankfurt am Main. Matula was 31 when it started on pubcaster ZDF in 1981. When his partnership with Dr. Dieter Renz (Günter Strack) ended in 1988, the character teamed up with three other lawyers: Dr. Rainer Frank (Rainer Hunold, 1988-1997), Dr. Johannes Voss (Mathias Hermann, 1997-2000) and Dr. Markus Lessing (Paul Frielinghaus, 2001-2013).

In autumn 2011, Gärtner expressed his desire to leave after 30 years. The duo Matula-Lessing bowed out with the 300th episode in March 2013. Surprisingly, ZDF decided to revamp Ein Fall für Zwei around attorney Benjamin "Benni" Hornberg (Antoine Monot, Jr.) and p.i. Leo Oswald (Wanja Hues). With the same title but minus the famous theme composed by the great Klaus Doldinger (The Neverending Story, Das Boot, Tatort), the new version debuted in May 2014. Claus Theo Gärtner even had a cameo in a 2015 episode. Aired by ZDF on Good Friday, Matula (aka Matula - Wer Wind sät) is a 90-minute special written by Ben Braeunlich and directed by Thorsten Näter.

This TV movie was filmed last year in Hamburg, Bremerhaven, Frankfurt and on Föhr Island. Five years ago, German private channel Sat.1 tried to resurrect their crime drama Wolffs Revier (1992-2006), another creation of Karl Heinz Willschrei, with a terrible TV movie called Wolff - Kampf im Revier. Thankfully, the return of the beloved detective from Ein Fall für Zwei is a complete success similar to the comeback of Schimanski (1997-2013). Josef Matula lives in a motorhome in Frankfurt and makes ends meet as a security guard in a department store. He quits after chasing a thief too many in order to become a private investigator again.

His first new client is Dr. Claas Jessen, a lawyer. Jessen wants him to have a look at a friend named Agathe Wollert. Mrs Wollert, a 82-year old professor emeritus, recently moved to a seniors' residence in Cuxhaven and asked Jessen for help because she feels threatened. Matula drives to the North Sea coast with his motorhome to find the old lady dead, but he doesn't buy the accidental cause. Her phone leads him to the Bremerhaven Research Institute, where the professor used to work. There he meets Helen Petersen, a secretive PhD student, and Agathe's ex-colleagues Pr. Rolf Lech and Ann-Gret Dahus.

Matula ages well. His instinct remains the same and the man is still full of resources (well, except money). And he has a dog, or rather it's the dog who choses him. Its name, given at the end, is a nice nod to the past. The atmosphere of Matula - Wer Wind Sät is a pleasant mix between The Rockford Files and Nordic Noir, with a good plot and an appropriate sense of self-derision. Guest-starring Sinja Dieks (Helen Petersen), Ulrike Krumbiegel (Ann-Gret Dahus), Götz Schubert (Claas Jessen), Thomas Sarbacher (Rolf Lech), Lutz Herkenrath (Dr. Hans Zerbaum), Anna Böttcher (Gesine Franke), Josephine Ehlert,  etc.  

Matula is produced by Odeon TV (for ZDF and Austria's ORF) and distributed by ZDF Enterprises. Michael Bauernfeind exec produces. Thomas Höbbel is the line producer. Anette Kaufmann and Klaus Laudi are the producers. Music composed by Axel Donner. Joachim Hasse is the cinematographer. The real name of Matula's (fabulous) dog is Mumford and he's trained by Charlott Arzberger. Matula - Wer Wind Sät attracted 5.26m viewers (16.8%). A second TV movie, tentatively titled Matula - Der Schatten des Berges, is currently filmed until the end of the month. A third may be commissioned.

https://presseportal.zdf.de/pm/matula/
https://www.facebook.com/Matula.DieSerie/

See also:

http://www.quotenmeter.de/n/92470/mit-dem-matula-koennen-wir-dagegen-schon-anstinken

[Update - April 29, 2018] 

Review of Matula - Des Schatten des Berges (Matula #2):

http://tattard2.blogspot.fr/2018/04/matula-der-schatten-des-berges-zdf.html

[Update - May 27, 2019] 

Review of Matula - Matula - Tod auf Mallorca (Matula #3):

https://tattard2.blogspot.com/2019/04/matula-tod-auf-mallorca-zdf.html