In French, this German crime series is called "Le Renard" (The Fox). This is giving too much credit to its main actor, Siegfried Lowitz, who at the age of 68 plays the role of Chief-Inspector Köster as if he had been brought out of retirement twenty years later. In this regard, the original title "Der Alte" (The Old One) is much more appropriate... But let's not put the blame only on poor Lowitz. Had he been directed by a more talented director than Dietrich Haugk, he might have been more convincing. For the one at fault is undeniably this lazy, uninspired helmer who goes through the motions of filming one dull scene after the other, getting from his actors nothing but lifeless performances. With one miraculous exception, though : Doris Schade, who manages – against all odds - to convey the distress of her character. She is the only one to really escape the slump. This is not doing justice to Detlef Müller's script, which is not so bad after all. There is indeed intriguing ambiguousness about the characters (honest everyman Doblin disappearing and suddenly turning into a killer; Kundler, his employer and old friend, who might not be the citizen above suspicion he seems to be; Kippel, another of Kundler's employees, who is pivotal to the action but who is never seen). Moreover the resolution of the case is rather skillful and satisfying. Unfortunately Haugk botched the work, proving unable to give the film the fast pace and the relief it deserved. Just imagine Peter Falk in the role of Köster, a brilliant counterpart like Robert Culp, Ray Milland or Patrick McGoohan instead of Karl Heinz Vosgerau and Jack Smight, Richard Quine or Ted Post directing... This would have been a horse of another color, wouldn't it? Definitely a lost opportunity. Too bad.
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