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Der Kommissar - Ende eines Humoristen
episode 52
West Germany 1972
produced by Helmut Ringelmann for Neue Münchner Fernsehproduktion/ZDF
directed by Theodor Grädler
starring Erik Ode, Reinhard Glemnitz, Günther Schramm, Fritz Wepper, Helma Seitz, Hanns Ernst Jäger, Alfred Balthoff, Christiane Schröder, Hilde Weissner, Manfred Seipold, Wolfgang Völz, Olga von Togni
written by Herbert Reinecker, series created by Helmut Ringelmann, Herbert Reinecker, title theme by Herbert Jarczyk
TV-series Der Kommissar, Harry Klein
review by Mike Haberfelner
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Waldermann (Hanns Ernst Jäger) is a stand-up comedian who has
definitely seen better days, as his old jokes and old school delivery are
terribly outdated. Then, after one of his better performances in a
medium-sized restaurant, he learns that his daughter Ursula (Christiane
Schröder) has died, hit over the head with an iron bar, and not far from
the crime scene her car has been found, doors wide open. Inspector Keller (Erik Ode) and his
team (Reinhard
Glemnitz, Günther Schramm, Fritz Wepper) investigate, with Keller soon
zeroing in on Waldermann himself, getting vaulabe information from his
sublet Sorge (Alfred Balthoff), who tells him how Ursula cared for
Waldermann, that she pretty much managed him when everybody else has long
given up on him - including his ex-wife (Hilde Weissner). Waldermann
himself is understandably overcome with grief, and yet wants to perform
this evening. Before his performance, Keller visits Waldermann backstage,
and Waldermann finally breaks down, admitting he and his daughter had an
argument on the day of her death, when she was already driving him to the
venue of the night's performance, an argument on why she never laughs at
his performances, and the argument got so heated he jumped out of the car.
She went behind him but he pushed her away, onto a metal handrail, that
would lead to her fatal injury ... Now it has to be said, while
Hanns Ernst Jäger as bad comedian comes across rather nicely, he overacts
rather terribly when it comes to being the grieving father, in a way
that's almost laugh-inducing - and of course, his stilted to unnatural
dialogue doesn't make things better, especially when seen in hindsight.
The one that actually holds the story together is Alfred Balthoff as his
friend and sublet, giving a very subtle performance, making the most of
the not very special script. In all, not the best Kommissar
episode, but definitely far from the worst, and definitely not great crime
drama but a fun watch from a nostalgic point of view.
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