Inspired by an earlier film by Douglas Sirk (All That Heaven Allows), Rainer Werner Fassbinder takes the tale of forbidden love to Munich. Emmi, a widowed cleaning lady in her 60s meets a younger Moroccan mechanic in a bar whilst she escapes the rain. After inviting him up for coffee, they strike up a sudden intense affair and get married, much to the outrage of Emmi' children and her friends and neighbours.
The film is basically a story of prejudice, mostly racism and it's effects on their relationship as it slowly starts to unravel.
It's one of the defining films of the German new wave movement of the 60s/70s. *awkward face* Is it? Really? I found it terribly dull. It was incredibly stagy, the performances wooden and the situation incomprehensible.
There's only so long my disbelief can suspend. I will accept that Ali and Emmi strike up a relationship, but that they get married without telling anyone, but that he quickly begins an affair with the owner of the local bar because Emmi refuses to cook cous cous? That she openly objectifies him in front of her friends? That he suddenly, out of nowhere gets a gambling problem? It all doesn't add up towards the end. The timescale of the film is a mystery. How much time has elapsed in this world. It seems to take place over a couple of weeks.
There was a documentary on Fassbinder as an extra on the DVD, which was actually quite fascinating. This film wasn't though. I think it's more of something to study at film school, than see before you die. I am quite interested in the original, which just regards the ageism issue.
The Original Sirk film.
Fassbinder always has a part for himself in his films. Here he plays the layabout husband of Emmi's daughter. All the children are inconsequential in this film.
I am going to have to make time and watch ALL THAT HEAVEN ALLOWS. I remember trying once, but got distracted with some company and had to stop it. The beginning though, with Hudson as the gardener and all those yellow/orange leaves was as beautiful as a postcard. Kinda reminded me FAR FROM HEAVEN, with Julianne Moore...
ReplyDeleteI saw Fassbinder's and I couldn't make that connection, probably because I need to watch the original first, right? Thanks for reminding me.