With the film “Sievers and the Silent Night” from the series “Nord Nord Mord”, ZDF provides an example of a successful Christmas thriller.
Of course, the weather can change quickly on the coast. But within two minutes from summer sunshine to winter snowstorms under a cloudy sky, then sunshine again and a moment later the raindrops splash on the windshield? And that on a manageable site, namely Sylt. The staff behind “Sievers and the Silent Night” cannot completely hide the fact that the ZDF Christmas film “Nord Nord Mord” was shot in spring.
The little mishap happens right at the beginning and is quickly forgotten because it goes on very quickly, very enjoyable.
The regular audience well-known Hinnerk Feldmann (Oliver Wnuk), who belongs to the cast of the Sylter Kriminalwache, has set off with a splendid bouquet of flowers in order, as will be revealed a little later, to make a winning impression. The target person is the mother of his new girlfriend.
“North North Murder: Sievers and the Silent Night” (ZDF): Messed up family reunion
But the first meeting with their family goes differently than planned. As soon as he got to the front door, Feldmann heard a shot. A Santa Claus gives heel money, a Christmas plate rotates inside, the cookies are simmering in the oven. But the Advent season is really messed up by the sight that awaits him in the living room. Rudolf Reuter, the bed king of Sylt, has blessed the time. And he did not die of natural causes.
Feldmann’s colleagues from the Kripo approach, and now it comes out what he actually wanted to keep hidden. He shared the bed with Freya Reuter (Lena Dörrie), the daughter of the deceased. At first only as a trial in the shop. Then it became more. Colleague Ina Behrendsen (Julia Brendler), with whom Feldmann lives and works without sin, acknowledges this opening with venomous looks. Actually, the two always try hard not to think of each other. But as soon as potential rivals emerge, jealousy increases with the zeal for investigation.
Chief Inspector Carl Sievers (Peter Heinrich Brix) is also a little distracted these days because his thoughts are at Christmas dinner. When he’s not chasing after predatory Santa Clauses, he hears his fellow stripmaker Schneider (Stephan A. Tölle) about things like baking cookies and the right side dishes for Christmas goose.
| role | Actress |
| Carl Sievers | Peter Heinrich Brix |
| Ina Behrendsen | Julia Brendler |
| Hinnerk Feldmann | Oliver Wnuk |
| Tabea Krawinkel | Victoria Trauttmansdorff |
| Dr. Carp | Anne Weber |
| Freya Reuter | Lena Dörrie |
| Regina Reuter | Johanna Gastdorf |
| Hilde Stach | Anna Stieblich |
“Nord Nord Mord: Sievers and the Silent Night” (ZDF): With a sense of subtle comedy
The sixteenth film in the series “Nord Nord Mord” was deliberately tailored for Christmas. Such projects do not always turn out happily. A negative example is the “Wilsberg” episode “Every year again” from 2017, which was made to be suitable for Christmas with obvious effort and very tense.
Thomas Oliver Walendy, who has written four more for “Nord Nord Mord” since the second episode, proves a skillful hand and found in director Sven Nagel an interpreter with a sense of subtle comedy. As an actor and director, Nagel has had cabaret and comedy experience and has a noticeable sense of timing and details. Feldmann once touched Behrendsen’s forearm at his desk, as if by chance. A punishing look and he quickly withdraws his arm.
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“North North Murder: Sievers and the Silent Night” (ZDF): The curse of the bridging days
The Christmas bridging days ensure all sorts of complications, including some very amusing ones. Difficult to get a search warrant during this time. And the corpse comes back unprocessed from forensic medicine. Because Dr. Karp (Anne Weber), the doctor in charge, is currently on a cruise in the tropics and is making an initial diagnosis via video link. The remaining rulers have to operate the projectile themselves. The order goes to the self-proclaimed ‘Profiler’ Hinnerk Feldmann. Which then, despite the big mouth, struggles quite a bit.
“North North Murder: Sievers and the Silent Night” (ZDF)
Monday, December 20, 2021, 8.15 p.m., ZDF media library
There are still all kinds of highly comical scenes in this film, and they rarely seem artificial. Just like the Christmas theme was interwoven with half to three quarters of a walk and there is still room for a little seasonal Weltschmerz. Christmas carols sound, but the kitsch trap is bypassed in a wide arc by tasteful selection. (Harald Keller)
