Plot Details: This opinion reveals major details about the movie's plot.


When Germany emerged from the post-war turmoil of World War II, it was around the same time a young German boy was born in May of 1945 to the name of Rainier Werner Fassbinder. As a boy, he grew up not knowing much about Nazi Germany and was more enthralled by American culture including the cinema that included the films of German-emigre Douglas Sirk. In his love for Sirk's melodramatic films and theater, the young Fassbinder channeled his energy to writing plays and stories that would take his unique approach to drama to lead a new wave of German cinema. Then in the late 60s, Fassbinder would enter the film world where from 1969-1982, he would create more than 30 features that he would write and direct, and sometimes star in.

In those 13 years of work, Fassbinder would create such films like Warum lauft Herr R. Amok? (Why Does Herr R. Run Amok?), Effi Briest, Angst essen Seele auf (Ali Eats the Soul), Faustrecht der Freheit (Fox and His Friends), the 15-hour TV film Berlin Alexanderplatz, and the post-war film trilogy of The Marriage of Maria Braun, Lola, and Veronika Voss. Many of those films were filled with his idiosyncratic approach to drama with suggestions of politics, homosexuality, and Hollywood references that changed the face of European cinema. Then on June 10, 1982, Fassbinder committed suicide through a drug overdose at the age of 37 as his legacy inspired a new legion of filmmakers. One particular film that showed his love of theater and costume melodrama is a tough but provocative story about a fashion designer's relationship with a young model and a mute assistant in the 1972 film Die Bitteren Tranen der Petra von Kant (The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant).

Written, produced, and directed by Fassbinder, the film is a study of lesbian relationships and a woman's contempt for men and the abusive treatment those around her. Shot in 10 days in a sound stage that is presented as an apartment, the film revolves theatrically around the apartment of Petra von Kant (played by Margit Carstensen) that is luxurious but cramped with only her assistant Marlene to help her. With a friend and model visiting frequently, the dynamics of relationship begins to emerge until Petra deals with her own heartbreak as she confronts everyone around her. Also starring Hanna Schygulla, Katrin Schaake, Eva Mattes, Gisela Fackeldey, and Irm Hermann as Marlene. Die Bitteren Tranen der Petra von Kant is a provocative, volatile drama.

It's a typical morning for fashion designer Petra von Kant as she wakes up with her mute assistant Marlene at her side. She gets a phone call from her mother Valerie (Gisela Fackeldey) who is about to embark on a trip to Miami as she asks Petra for money. Petra is now self-absorbed in her work while paying money for her daughter Gabriele (Eva Mattes) who is at a boarding school. After waking up and listening to Smoke Gets In Your Eyes by the Platters, she orders Marlene to do work and finish sketching the drawing while getting another call to work for a designer as Petra's cousin Sidonie (Katrin Schaake) arrives. Sidonie is recovering from the dissolution of her marriage as Petra tells her about her second marriage that ended bitterly in divorce with violence as Petra has a volatile disdain for men now. With Marlene watching and fetching things for Petra, another visitor arrives in a young model named Karin (Hanna Schygulla) who is waiting for Sidonie.

Petra begins to have a crush on the young model as one day, she calls for her to meet her at Petra's cramped yet lavish apartment. Karin arrives one night as she is currently in Germany to start her modeling career. The two begin a conversation with the quiet Marlene watching them. Karin discusses about the death of her parents at a young age while dealing with a poor lifestyle as Petra claims that nothing is simple. Karin, is currently married while her husband is in Sydney at work. Petra, was once married before as her first husband died four months after Gabriele was born but after her second marriage, has no interest in men. With Karin still wanting to embark on her modeling career, Petra asks Karin to stay with her for the time being as Karin chooses to be with Petra.

The relationship seem to be going well until one day, it starts to sour. Karin is now lazy and not wanting to do anything while Petra, living through her costumes and wigs. With Marlene doing a lot of the work, Petra is becoming more frustrated, often lashing out at Marlene where Petra cancels a flight to Madrid that Karin was supposed to be in. Petra then asks what Karin did one night as Karin said she went to a club, dancing with a well-endowed black man from the U.S. services. Petra is more angry at the story that is further told where Karin now claims it's a lie. Petra tries to compose herself until a call where Karin's husband calls from Zurich as Karin now leaves to be with her husband leaving Petra alone with Marlene.

Then on the day of Petra's 35th birthday, Petra awaits a call from Karin. Instead, she is left with calls from other people as she is drunk and distraught. With only Marlene at the room, Petra gets some unexpected visitors. First is daughter Gabriele who has returned from school to be with her mother as she tells Petra that she's in love with a boy. Then Sidonie arrives with a present as the two talked with Sidonie learning about Karin's recent success. Petra falls into a spiral as her mother Valerie arrives as Petra gets into a verbal assault with everyone in the room. After the fallout, Petra is alone being comforted by her mother where she realizes who her true ally is.

While the film has a few flaws, notably its slow pacing in its talkative dialogue, the brilliance of the film truly belongs to Fassbinder. With a background in plays, Fassbinder brings the claustrophobic yet theatrical approach to his film since it revolves entirely with an apartment filled with lavish things and naked mannequins that plays off as some kind of metaphor. The strength of the story is in both Fassbinder's taciturn approach to writing and directing. In the writing, he crafts a five-act structure where he explores the manic obsession of Petra von Kant along with her surroundings like her gossip-filled cousin, her idealistic daughter, her conservative rich mother, and Marlene. Even in its look, Fassbinder is also making fun of the lavish, luxurious look of Douglas Sirk’s films as well as commenting on social classes though its commentary and dark humor is layered underneath the dramatic tone of the film.

When Karin arrives, she starts off as this nice, naive woman living in pain only to turn into someone who studies Petra and use her youth against Petra. The real eye that serves as our third-person perspective from Fassbinder's view is Marlene where in the opening credits, he dedicates the film to the caricature of Marlene. The film's lesbian overtones and subtle sadomasochistic references only to show the hatred and self-absorbed world of Petra. It's really a character study piece on a woman trying to live in a world with love and a lifestyle that would later turn on her as she lashes out on those who care about her.

The directing approach of Fassbinder is very succinct since he is trying to get into the characters and figure out their behaviors and motivations. Yet, there are several scenes where he does long takes where he would at one minute, focus on Sidonie and then to Petra, and then zoom his way into Marlene who watches and listens everything without uttering a single word. There, Fassbinder uses both his expertise in theater and films to craft a vision that is unpredictable with metaphoric references around Petra’s chaotic world as she falls apart right till the end. Even the ending has something that is realistic to pinpoint as Petra wonders how everything has fallen apart for her and who are really there for her while realizing how she fails them.

Helping Fassbinder is his unique yet stark vision is longtime cinematographer Michael Ballhaus who uses a lot of colors and lighting to convey scenes that are shot in the day while using very little in the darker scenes where it's nighttime. The production design work of Kurt Raab is well presented from its shaggy carpeting and lavish look along with the mannequins and the painting in Petra's bedroom that serves as a metaphor. The editing of Fassbinder's then-wife Thea Eymesz helps out with Fassbinder's structure by giving it a slow but sliver pacing despite the talkative dialogue that drags the film a bit. Fassbinder also shines in his choice of music with wonderful tracks from the Walker Brothers, Guiseppe Verdi, and a couple of cuts from the Platters, Smoke Gets In Your Eyes and The Great Pretender.

While the film fills only six actresses, Fassbinder's ability to choose actresses shows more of his brilliance in casting. Eva Mattes is wonderful in the role of Petra's young, idealistic daughter who goes into shock in seeing her mother fall apart while Gisela Fackeldey is also great in the role of Petra's stern, posh mother who despite her conservative views, supports her. Karin Schaake is also great in the role of Petra's cousin Sidonie with her understated performance in the role of a gossip-monger whose marriage is falling apart as she seeks advice from her cousin. Fassbinder regular Hanna Schygulla gives a mesmerizing, brutal performance as young and spoiled Karin with her graceful beauty and her complex turn from a naive model to an ungrateful woman who bils the pot around Petra.

The film's best supporting performance aside from Schygulla is another Fassbinder regular in Irm Hermann as Marlene. Her performance represents not just Fassbinder but the eyes and ears of the audience. Never uttering a word, we see Hermann convey a loyalty and heartbreak as she continues to stand on her own, even as Petra verbally abuses her. Even in the film's final moments, we see Hermann given something but again, she doesn't speak and let her actions do the talking while throughout the entire film, she wears the same black clothes throughout in an amazing performance.

Finally, there's Margit Carstensen in the title role of Petra von Kant. Carstensen brings a troubling yet powerful performance as the embittered Petra with her commanding approach early on and sly seduction in the film's first half. By the second half, Carstensen shows more in her powerful, dramatic range with a bit of sympathy as she deals with heartbreak even though her actions and words make her more unlikeable. This is really one of the best yet brutal performances to ever grace the European cinema of the 1970s.

While it's not up to par with The Marriage of Maria Braun or Berlin Alexanderplatz, Die Bitteren Tranen der Petra von Kant is still essential Fassbinder. While it's slow, dialogue pacing might bore some, it's the kind of film that takes its time with its audience. You might not get it the first time around but after repeated viewing, it sinks in. Thanks to a great cast led by Margit Carstensen, Irm Hermann, and Hanna Schygulla, the film is a fine introduction to the work of one of German cinema's most unsung heroes.

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Recommended: Yes

Viewing Format: DVD
Video Occasion: Good for Groups
Suitability For Children: Not suitable for Children of any age