Sommer mit Hausfreund (2005)

The archaeologist Professor Dr. Ludwig Gehlen and his wife Elisa, a cellist who teaches at the conservatory, are planning to celebrate their silver wedding anniversary, which is coming up soon, in the Caribbean. But Ludwig’s professional ambitions put a stop to those plans. Their sponsor, Lydia Pöniken, is on her way to the Teutoburg Forest, where Ludwig, a recognized expert on the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest, intends to enter a competition. The best proposal will receive 500,000 euros in foundation funding. Ludwig believes that the money will enable him to prove his theory about how the battle unfolded. Gehlen then also puts up his colleague Professor Carlo Dalcura from Florence at his house without telling Elisa beforehand. Dalcura is his rival in the prestigious archaeological project in the Teutoburg Forest, which examines the circumstances of the battle between the Romans and the Germanic tribes. When Dalcura suddenly appears in the house, Elisa initially takes him for a burglar. However, she quickly succumbs to the Italian’s charm, and he in turn is captivated by Elisa. Before long, the two are having a romantic affair. Elisa then decides to leave her husband and their son Jakob and go to Florence with Carlo. At first, the cellist enjoys her carefree time with Carlo, who is happy to have her with him. Gradually, though, she realizes that she cannot be the person he seems to want her to be. She also misses what had previously annoyed her: the habits she shared with her husband, which had also meant a sense of familiarity. Lydia Pöniken, influential and attractive, takes advantage of the opportunity to get closer to Ludwig, and ultimately succeeds. When Elisa returns to Ludwig, an old skull that turns up at the excavation site leads to various misunderstandings. Believing that Elisa intended to pass the find on to Dalcura, Ludwig refuses to let his wife explain what really happened and curtly declares that they will divide the house and file for divorce. Before Elisa can stop him, he storms out. An old neighbor’s stroke—he and his wife have a very happy relationship—makes Elisa realize how quickly everything can be over. So she sets out to find her husband in the Teutoburg Forest. On the way, she gets caught in a thunderstorm. When she reaches the excavation site, she helps her husband secure it. Unlike Lydia, who prefers to stay in her car, Elisa does not let the adverse weather conditions deter her. At least Lydia is honest enough to tell Ludwig that Carlo Dalcura took the skull and that Elisa is not to blame. When Elisa is due to give her first performance with her colleagues, playing Mozart’s String Quartet in C major, she briefly hopes that Ludwig will attend. But only Carlo is there. He tells her that Ludwig is at a press conference, presenting the results of his research. There, Ludwig is named the winner of the competition and, at the same time, director of the Roman-Germanic Research Institute. However, Gehlen’s assistant, Undine Frieling, gives a journalist sitting in front of her a hint that the detailed analyses are not yet complete because the carbon-14 dating is still outstanding. The journalist seizes the opportunity to make Gehlen admit that this is true. As Ludwig gets up and leaves, Elisa runs after him and asks him to come home. She misses him and needs him. Ludwig says he has done so much wrong and has now also made a fool of himself as a researcher. Lydia Pöniken has to watch through binoculars as the couple embrace. The Gehlens then postpone a planned trip once again by mutual agreement, as they both decide to prioritize their professional ambitions. Elisa tours the provinces with her string quartet, while Ludwig and Carlo work together to rewrite the history of the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest.