Schwarzer Samt

Schwarzer Samt (English: Black Velvet) is a German crime film by Heinz Thiel produced by the DEFA in 1964.

The State Security Service detains the photographer Gwendoleit, who as courier was supposed to bring counterfeited documents and number plates to Leipzig and to work on a photo assignment.

He receives an encrypted letter signed by a certain "Dora", asking him to remind his "business partner" of the pending delivery of a consignment of "black velvet".

Manfred instructs Berg to take the snapshot from a window in his study which affords an unobstructed view of a highly innovative remote-controlled crane erected for the trade fair.

However, this job offer came with the condition that Manfred was to sabotage his company's crane demonstration at the trade fair, thereby harming the international reputation of the GDR.

She reveals to Alexander that Manfred was actually supposed to destabilize the crane using acid, leading to its total collapse on the opening day of the trade fair.

"In favour of external tension sometimes internal logic is lacking; with an overly complicated setup of their plans the agents seem to put obstacles in their own way", a critic judged.