 Beethoven s Hair traces the unlikely journey of a lock of hair cut from Beethoven s corpse and unravels the mystery of his tortured life and death. The film begins in modern times, when a pair of Beethoven enthusiasts purchase the hair at a Sotheby s auction. The story then looks at the lock s previous owners and culminates in the science that reveals Beethoven s "medical secret". Set to a lush score of some of Beethoven s most glorious music, the film explores the world of forensic testing in sharp relief against the romance of 19th-century Vienna and the horrors of 20th-century Nazi Germany.