Van der Valk (TV Series) A Rose from Mr. Reinhart (1973) User Reviews

A thoroughly engaging whodunnit.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 8/10 · 20 August 2023]

Arlette and the children almost witness a young woman being attacked in a park, she later tries to contact Van Der Valk for help, but he's unavailable. The day after Van Der Valk investigates her death, believing a powerful businessman is responsible.

An excellent episode, one of the best I've seen so far, a case that's very personal for Van Der Valk, he feels a degree of guilt for the girl's death, and faces a string of obstacles, big business has always been an entity with powerful friends.

A good mystery with some interesting characters and some very strong, credible suspects, you'll wonder who is covering up for who.

James Cossins puts in a terrific performance as Martin Nordhoff, he is excellent in the part, he's dodgy, deceitful and resentful, believing that Van Der Valk is simply some sort of irritation, the only problem is that awful wig.

It explores the seedier side of Amsterdam, we get a close up view of the windows the Dutch sex workers would sit it.

Some great staging here, seeing a car being pulled out of The Amstel, that looked great.

8/10.

A Rose from Mr. Reinhart

[Prismark10 · 6/10 · 4 July 2020]

We see Van der Valk's young children in this one. They are playing in the park with Arlette. The kids normally see a young woman Karen Seger who gives them sweets.

This time that children see a stranger with a knife nearby and Karen quickly runs off.

A worried Arlette persuades Van der Valk to go and see her. Karen tells him that there is nothing wrong, later she is found dead.

Karen Seger worked as a freelance interpreter. However the police quickly establish that she was a high class call girl for clients of a major Dutch company. Her flat was too expensive for someone on a freelance interpreter's salary.

An old friend of Karen who identified her body tells Van der Valk that she was rubbish at languages. He later gets angry when he finds out that Van der Valk knew she was in danger.

The owner of the company Martin Noordhoff appears to be evasive, even putting pressure on Halsbeek.

There is almost a pattern of prominent businessmen trying to hide their dirty laundry in Van der Valk. They call on their lawyers, later pester politicians and police chiefs. It is the same here. Noordhoff (James Cossins) and his lawyer Van Houten (Denis Lil) are smarmy and look to be hiding something.

It could all be a red herring. This episode plays with the familiar tropes of nasty amoral businessmen, some from abroad and just maybe Karen Seger had a boyfriend.