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In a Dutch Playboy interview conducted at the time of this film's release, Wim Verstappen explains that the original plan was to follow up Grijpstra & De Gier (1979) with an adaptation of Janwillem van de Wetering's 1979 novel 'The Maine Massacre'. But when plans for that installment fell through, Verstappen went to help out Guido Pieters on Ciske - Storia di un bambino (1984). The director claimed the writer never forgave him for that, and when Van de Wetering went to stay in Friesland, he took Verstappen's typewriter with him and wrote 'De Ratelrat' . According to Verstappen, the entire book is filled with spiteful stabs against himself (with him being the rat of the title).

Co-produced by AVRO Television, this feature film was expanded and shown as a three part TV-series in 1989. Retitled 'Grijpstra & De Gier - Het Lijk Uit Friesland' the episode titles, air dates and running time were as follows: 1. Brandend Water (25 May 1989) - 47 minutes; 2. De Slag Op De Afsluitdijk (1 June 1989) - 44 minutes; 3. De Overval Op De Veemarkt (8 June 1989) - 52 minutes.

Follows Grijpstra & De Gier (1979)