The handwriting of the murderer

(Die Handschrift des Mörders)

A Rialto Film production directed by Hajo Gies
TV-Movie, 90 min.n
ProSieben / Premiered: 9. April 1999

Cast

Thomas Eppert   Götz Schubert
Dr. Sophie Steger   Dorothea Schenck
Georg Sörensen   Daniel Morgenroth
Dr. Klingner   Gunter Berger
Dr. Jessen   Dieter Montag
Thietgen   Victor Schefé
Gerrit   Bernd Stegemann
Mutter Eppert   Ursula Karrusseit
Julia   Cornelia Heisig
Carmen   Ulrike Düregger
Jessica   Ines Escher
Schulleiter Mursch   Uwe Zerbe
Frau Schaltner   Winnie Böwe
Pastor Ehlers   Norbert Tefelski
Nina   Katja Heinrich
Mutter Maler   Johanna Elbauer
Pedro   Steffen Gräbner
etc.

Crew

Director:   Hajo Gies
Screenplay:   Timo Berndt
Director of Photography:   Axel Block
Set Designer:   Ulrich Vetter
Editor:   Sabine Brose
Music:   Darius Zahir
Costumes:   Helene Hohensee
Casting:   Angela Marquis
Executive Producer:   Willy Egger

Plot outline

The laid-back village policeman Thomas Eppert, nicknamed Eppe, accidentally discovers the victim of a serial killer. Shortly afterwards his best friend, the scrap dealer George Sörensen, becomes the main suspect. Eppe is torn out of his usual lethargy. As a teenager, George had killed a girl in affection and later shaved her head. This crime corresponds exactly to the ritual of the current murderer. Dr. Sophie Steger, an arrogant specialist for forensic psychology, is working on the case. She is rather hindered than supported by the uninterested macho officials Thietgen and Gerrit. Eppe himself is confronted with a narrow-minded bunch of self-confident city policemen, who do not take him serious at all. At first sight, he also dislikes Sophie. Sophie sees right through Eppe and forces him to teamwork. Investigations are concentrating entirely on George. Eppe wants to save his friend and concentrates on existing evidence, and so stumbles over new facts which lead him to the real killer. He finds the battle plan of the murderer and comes to Sophie's rescue in the very last moment. As a result, the relationship between them changes immediately.