Sex: Male
Height: 5' 8 � �
Age: Late 20's, Early 30's
Relatives: Brother [first name not on file]/Chief Analytical Geophysicist for the Arabco Oil Company
Nationality: German [but speaks English fluently]
Occupation: Aeronautical Engineer/Works for Becker Flugzeuge, [Works specifically on power models, like Elliot]
Appearance: Casual/Formal dress, blonde hair, wears glasses
History: He was visiting his brother on a holiday in Jebel. After words he boarded a plane headed for Benghazi, Libya. Suspicious of the pilot, Frank Towns, Heinrich says that Frank is 'to elderly to pilot' and makes fun of him in a age discriminating manner.
After, the crash he begins work on his calculations for building a new plane. Much to his annoyance, certain passengers, like Crow, pick on him for being German.
Frank tries to use a radio to find out what is going on but Heinrich uses his hand held razor which causes interference. Upset, Frank yells at Heinrich for trying to keep clean. Heinrich just ignores Frank..for now.
Soon after, a plane passes over and everyone attempts to make a flare all except for Heinrich and Frank. They both know that the plane is far to high for anyone in it to see them. That same day they try to figure out as to whether or not they should wait, and hope someone comes searching for them, or march out into the desert, in search for water. Heinrich literally jumps up and announces his plan to build a new plane. Frank doesn't like Heinrich's new plan and rudely asks if he is 'joking'. Feeling rejected and alone, Heinrich walks to a nearby sand dune and plants his butt there to work.
Not long after, Frank leaves in search for a crazed passenger, who has wondered off into the desert. Thinking that he may never return, Heinrich pauses his calculations. Heinrich explains to Lew that the plane can only start one time and can only handle a certain amount of strain. He explains that Frank is the only pilot that is fit for the task; that for him to run off into the desert searching for a man of little help to the project is plain ridiculous.
After Mr. Towns returns alive, Heinrich explains to everyone how they can now build the plane and that it will be sufficient for flying. Frank doubts the plan and the two come up with arguments and counter arguments as to whether or not it will work. The water issue is brought up and Heinrich suggests distilling anti-freeze. Soon he grew tired of Franks babbling and insulted Frank by calling him stupid. Ready to slap him to the ground for being, Frank is held back by his comrades.
Convinced by his comrades that it would be best for everyone to keep their mind half-way occupied, Frank decides to let Heinrich start the project. Everyone following Heinrich's orders eventually come to see him as a bossy mom or uncle and become somewhat fond of him.
The next morning, � makes fun of Heinrich in a friendly way, as usual, and says that why the German's never won the war was because they didn't have Heinrich's aeroplane expertise.
Not long after, some nomads arrive and almost everyone wants to ask them for help but Heinrich doesn't like the idea. This sneaking suspicion of the nomads is proven correct when two men are killed, their throats sliced clean open.
The next day Frank decides he wants the airplane to be tested. Heinrich argues that if they start it up now it may never start up again. Ignoring Heinrich, Frank marches off to do his test.
Silently seething with anger and tired of having his work be disrespected, Heinrich hurls a large wrench at Mr. Towns, which narrowly misses his head and hits the plane. Mr. Towns turns around and the two lock eyes. Heinrich has made it clear that he is dead serious and doesn't want to take a chance on the plane being ruined. Frank decides he wants to keep all of his limbs attached and cancels the test.
The next day Heinrich calls everyone together and confronts Frank. He asks Frank who is the person in authority. After some thought, Frank tells Heinrich that he is the one in charge. Now since Frank is officially demoted to Beta, Heinrich announces that as the leader he decides that the work shall continue.
The next day Frank finds a magazine and asks if this is the company he works for. Heinrich responds that it is and Frank takes notice that all the airplanes in the magazine are model airplanes. Frank and Lew are disappointed and figure that they are going to die out in the desert.
That night they confront Heinrich and tell him that is is best to not tell everyone about him building 'toy' aeroplanes. Deeply shocked that they would even consider calling it such a thing, Heinrich spouts off a wide list of facts about models, proving that models are designed to be more stable than 'the real thing'. Frank and Lew listen to him for a while, abet somewhat begrudgingly.
The next day is the day that the Phoenix is scheduled to take off. Frank starts using the cartridges but on the fourth one Frank uses one with ignition off to clean the cylinders. Fearing that Frank is going to kill them all by wasting the cartridges, he tries to get to him but Harris holds him back. On the sixth one the plane starts. Everyone climbs aboard and they fly off to a nearby oil drilling facility with a small oasis.
Everyone jumps in and drinks to their heart's content. Finally Frank and Heinrich respect and trust each other.
Personality: He is an arrogant person with a somewhat selfish nature. He can be a force to be reckoned with if angered. Uncaring when it comes to people dying; and only cares if it concerns him in some shape or form. Usually keeps all anger inside until, like a volcano, he reaches his pressure limit. Is normally direct and inconsiderate of others feelings. He also more robotic when speaking, unlike Elliot, and has a German accent. He is mildly outgoing and if he doesn't like someone than everyone will most certainly know. He is quiet, laid back, and keeps to himself. Presumably, like in the book, he has Aspergers Syndrome, a variant of autism.
Unlike Elliot in the new version version of the film, Heinrich turns to more physical means of violence [like throwing a giant wrench] coupled with some verbal assaults.
Relationship with Frank: For the most part their relationship is tense, at best, and nearly boils over into the realm of hate. One of the main reasons they dislike each other is due to their personalities and the stressful situation they are in, which worsens things.
Frank doesn't like having others order him around, is stubborn to boot, and when Heinrich shows up the three turn out to be a bad combination. Frank hates the fact that practically everything that Heinrich has done or said has been right while all of his have been wrong and have cost people their lives. Frank feels a certain amount of guilt and takes some of his anger out on Heinrich. The verbal assaults that ensue is pretty much strictly due to their clashing personalities. Frank also dislikes the fact that Heinrich is so smart and that he knows planes so well even though he does not fly them. There jealousy on Franks part and he states that eventually the world will not need people like himself anymore and that people like Heinrich will create machines that can do his job for him.
Luckily, for Frank has an open mind and listens to the suggestions of others. This, coupled with his own reflection on himself, make him change his ways and accept Heinrich. This makes Frank a dynamic character.
Heinrich, though, is primarily stoic. The only thing that actually changes is that he respects Frank at the end and the two learn to work together and get along.
Heinrich was fairly annoyed, and or disgusted, at Frank's poor decision making and further annoyed when he tried to lead Frank in the correct direction.
[*waves wrench around like a Neanderthal*]