Herz in Flammen (2002)

Frank Fliester is a little old-fashioned in his own way. While his flatmate, Karl Schrobnik, is interested only in sex and money, Frank has not entirely buried his romantic streak. He devours one romance novel after another and therefore believes not in coincidences, but in fate. When he unwittingly catches a purse-snatcher, he meets the pretty Beate Wangenheim. They look into each other’s eyes and know they are meant for each other. Eagerly awaiting their first date, they are thwarted by one mishap after another, and Frank arrives late. Beate has just left and asks the kiosk owner if he knows where she could find the young man who always buys romance novels there. Beate is devastated when the man tells her that Frank is married. She has no idea that Frank told the old man this white lie simply to avoid admitting that he reads romance novels. Deeply hurt, she vows never to fall in love again. Never with anyone. Seven years later, Frank has become a recluse. He has withdrawn from the world, but has put his wounded feelings to good use on paper. Writing under the pseudonym Katharina Goldmesser, he has penned novels that now reach millions of readers. Karl, Frank’s publisher, is very business-minded and wants to sell the film rights to Goldmesser’s latest novel to top director George Blau. Just then, Beate—now a capable business journalist—is researching a profile of the mysterious bestselling author Goldmesser. She therefore contacts publisher Karl Schrobnik to arrange an interview with Katharina Goldmesser. Karl gives Beate little hope of meeting the reclusive “author.” He comes up with numerous excuses for why she cannot get an interview, making Beate suspicious. Her journalistic instincts tell her that something is wrong. Since she refuses to let it go, and Karl does not want any negative press, he persuades Frank to attend the meeting with Beate as the author’s secretary. When Frank and Beate unexpectedly come face to face, their old passion for each other immediately rekindles. By now, however, their views on romantic novels differ greatly. Even so, Frank is overjoyed to have found his old love again. Beate, though, refuses to face her feelings and runs away. She also embarks on a personal campaign of revenge against Frank and his publisher. Every attempt Frank makes to explain himself to Beate fails. Only when she discovers that Frank did not betray her seven years earlier is she willing to confront her old feelings. After persuading publisher Karl to let Katharina Goldmesser appear in public after all, Beate is ready to reconcile with Frank. She still has no idea that Frank is behind the disguise—not even when the two finally fall into each other’s arms and confess their love. Karl promises to think of something. He plans to announce that the last Goldmesser novel, which is soon to be made into a film, will also be the “author’s” final work. But that never happens, because Beate finds the clothes Frank wore as Katharina Goldmesser to the interview. She makes a huge scene and refuses to accept that she has been lied to yet again. In anger, she writes an exposé that ends not only Goldmesser’s career, but also Karl’s career as a publisher of romance novels. Beate is then promoted to editor-in-chief. Frank now takes his last chance and congratulates Beate on her promotion with a manuscript. In a letter, he offers it as his first novel written under his own name, saying that he has woven his own story into it. However, the ending is still missing, and she must help provide it. After a brief time to think, Beate knows what she ultimately wants: to be happy with Frank. A man capable of such deep feelings simply has to be loved.