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The Bitter Tears of Petra Von Kant

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The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant (1972), one of Fassbinder's masterpieces, explores the tortured connections between desire and power. Not only is the DVD of exceptional quality, it includes both of Fassbinder's fascinating short films ("The City Tramp" and "The Little Chaos") plus a revealing documentary.

Although Bitter Tears remains one of Fassbinder's most controversial films - in part for its severely limited depiction of women's lives - it is also one of his most powerful. Fortunately, the range of lesbian-themed films in the past thirty years has presented women's experiences in considerably more diversity and fullness, so perhaps now we can better evaluate the film's considerable merits.

Fassbinder's casts are always uniformly strong, but this one is extraordinary, especially Margit Carstensen in the title role (she won several awards), Hanna Schygulla (with whom Fassbinder made 20 pictures) as her new lover Karin Thimm, and Irm Herrman as Petra's mysterious assistant Marlene who, without uttering one word, at times dominates with her sheer presence.

The film is astonishing for its interweaving of raw emotion with stunning and meticulous design. Fassbinder and director of photography Michael Ballhaus (who shot about half of the director's films, and now does all of Scorsese's pictures) wrest every bit of visual interest from the single claustrophobic set (we never leave this one apartment). The endlessly inventive deep focus compositions provide a series of emotionally penetrating, and technically virtuosic, comments on the action - ironic, allusive, symbolic, and visually gorgeous. The only picture which approaches this level of achievement - in making limited physical space utterly compelling as cinema - is Cocteau's Les Parents Terribles (1948), but he had all of two sets!

Fassbinder also makes acerbic use of every carefully placed object in the lavish apartment. Most notable is a gigantic blowup of Poussin's painting "Midas and Bacchus," which reminds us that Petra - like Midas, whose life was blasted by the "golden touch" - should be careful what she wishes for. The nude Bacchus stands in the center of the mural - and not infrequently Fassbinder's compositions - with the body of, well, a Greek god, a larger-than-life male in a film peopled entirely with women. Some critics argue that this overbearing backdrop represents the patriarchal system which underlies, and perhaps even dooms, the relationship of Petra and Karin. Fassbinder includes many other witty, even playful, elements throughout the film, both to give it greater resonance, and to keep it from descending into bathos. For instance, dramatic form has rarely been so drolly encapsulated as when Petra changes into a new wig - "symbolically" indicating her emotional state - in each of the film's five scenes (each unfolds in continuous time).

Although it would be unfair to reveal the ending, a tentatively optimistic reading may be possible: For one character it revolves around a newfound self-respect, for another because she has, for the first time, genuinely reached out to someone else. The film is so rich, on so many levels, that you may find yourself seeing it differently on each viewing. Few works so creatively, and powerfully, manage to subvert our desire for cathartic drama while simultaneously fulfilling it.

FASSBINDER'S SHORT FILMS ARE ALSO INCLUDED on this DVD. Both were made in 1966, when he was 19. "The City Tramp," about a homeless man who finds a gun, is a work of extraordinary, stark visual design and intriguing commentative sound (street noise juxtaposed with classical music juxtaposed with silence). It boasts excellent performances, with Fassbinder raising it far above the level of a "vanity piece" for financial backer cum star Christoph Roser. It also introduces several of the filmmaker's recurring themes, including alienation, the role of the outsider, exploitation, and violence, while its sporadic playfulness highlights another vital, and fun, aspect of his work. "The Little Chaos" is about three friends who use their knowledge of American crime movies (and Godard's 1964 film Band of Outsiders) to rob a woman. Although not as visually striking or emotionally rich as "City Tramp," it features first-rate performances and has a refreshing exuberance. The DVD also includes "Rainer Werner Fassbinder, 1977," an engrossing half-hour documentary.

Boy, oh, boy! The crankiest lesbians you'd ever want to see just talking and fighting, talking and drinking, talking and dancing to the Platters! I can't think of a better way to spend two hours. This one's amazing. Perhaps the ultimate Fassbinder: excruciating for many, sheer heaven for a lucky few. When brittle but oh-so-vulnerable Petra, wearing her bizarre Wagneresque 'gown' with the glittery pretzel-shaped decolletage, puts "In My Room" on the phonograph and starts bitching to gorgeous, scheming Karin about her first marriage, it'll send you into the stratosphere. Kinky, trashily hilarious, profound and political -- what more could you possibly want in a movie?

Considerable journalism and scholarship has been devoted to Fassbinder's admiration for works of Danish-born film director Douglas Sirk. However Fassbinder did, in fact, loosely borrow from many melodramatic texts, Mildred Pierce for The Marriage of Maria Braun, Sunset Blvd. for Veronica Voss, both in the BRD Trilogy, and in the case of The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant, from Joseph's Mankiewicz's All About Eve.

In the audio commentary, popular arts critic Jane Shattuc makes reference to Fassbinder's theatrical renderings in the film, Petra's couture costumes, tightly framed background shots of the Poussin painting in Petra's apartment, and use of lighting, all of which provide the viewers with every bit of intimacy as a performance on stage.

Obviously his own background and training in theater was one source of inspiration for the film. But certainly another was his fascination with Hollywood melodrama, and specifically in this instance, Joseph Mankiewicz's characteriztion of Broadway legend Margo Channing and her idol Eve Harrington in All About Eve.

While same class consciousness dyanamics are evident in both films, so are elements of lesbianism and bi-sexuality. Only in the case of Fassbinder the class differences between Petra, her appentice, and the Hanna Schgulla character become stark and more exaggerated. As for sexual oreintation, what's implied in All About Eve is more evident in Petra von Kant and worthy of a enough consideration to do a doctorial dissertation on the subject.

i love this film because it provides the most vivid and detailed characterizations of female intentions, wants, and desires of any other film in the Fassbinder canon, including the female characters in the BRD Trilogy or Berlin Alexanderplatz.

Fassbinder's impressive psychoanalytical exploration of oppression both sexual and emotional between the genders (told entirely with dialogue) and the oppression between the same genders is a complex affair. To counter the depth and range of emotions and conflicting feelings, Fassbinder uses a very direct and simplistic filmic approach. The film is shot almost entirely in one room and he uses a large number of medium static shots, sometimes lasting as long as five minutes without a cut - this illustrates both Fassbinder's economic working style and acts as a visual juxtaposition to the complexities on screen. The essential dilemma the characters wrestle with, is who wields the power in a relationship. Fassbinder takes the position that the one who loves and shows it, is the weaker. Wonderfully 70's with colourful costumes and an above average mise-en-scene for Fassbinder, this is an effective exploration of the moral maze and conflict with any relationship, be it between men and women or the same sex.

"People need each other but haven't found a way to live with each other."

Adapted from his own play, film genius Rainer Werner Fassbinder's 1972 film, The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant (Die Bitteren Tränen der Petra von Kant), tells the story of a gifted, self-absorbed fashion designer (Margit Carstensen), whose marriages ended in death and divorce. "He stank of man," Petra says about her ex-husband. Petra now lives in Bremen with her slavish personal assistant Marlene (Irm Hermann), but falls in love with a beautiful, 23-year-old model, Karin Thimm (Hanna Schygulla, the radiant star of Fassbinder's The Marriage of Maria Braun). To say that Petra falls head-over-heels in love with Karin would be an understatement. Wheras Petra dominates Marlene with her demands, Karin dominates Petra with her insolent temperament. Karin tells distraught Petra that she has just enjoyed sex with a well-endowed black American, and eventually both Marlene and Karin abandon Petra, leaving her to her bitter tears. This intriguing film (Fassbinder's 13th of the 33 films he made) delves into Fassbinder's fascination with doomed love, and confronts common themes of obsession, dominance and submission, and social taboos. The entire film, divided into five acts, is shot in Petra's luxurious apartment, using long camera takes. It is probably not the best starting place for the Fassbinder unitiated.

G. Merritt

The film is based in the theatrical work of the same name of Rainer Werner Fassbinder . the only stage of the action is the workshop dwelling of the protagonist , the fashion designer Petra von Kant a refined and eccentric woman divorced twice who lives with her secretary-slave Marlene. But that selfish human beingsuddenly will fall in love with Karim, ayoung beauty of modest origin who enjoys the luxury offered by Petra without serious commitment respect her lover . That happiness period will break when Karim decides to reconciliate with her husband . Petra , obviously is very distured and she rebuilds many aspects of her past behavior , but when she proposes Marlene a participation in the business , Marlene leaves home .
This was one the creative peaks in the career of this indefatigable creator of human portraits . Somehow Petra is a mirror image of him in those times . But far beyond the anecdotic aspect ,the film is a merciless story about the loneliness and hopeless gaze of the female world . Personally I do not know about another film maker in the story of the cinema who deals with these themes with such fineness and deepness . He never will take a previous attitude ; he drowns in these troubled waters and suffers with them their triumphs and calamities . He is the legitimate son of Douglas Sirk with a major scope , indeed .
Since his early death in 1982 , when he just was in his thirties (36) , the creative world of the german cinema still remains inciomplete . You may name Percy Aldon , Herzog , Wenders , Kluge and Hauff but something lost in the environment , due the prodigious and outstanding mind of Fassbinder is absent .

This one's a hoot! And it can be viewed on so many levels. The silent character represents the audience, it seems. And this film really covers the stages of romantic relationships: the first meeting, the first night together, the jealousy, the break-up, and of course, the anxiety that follows in the hopes that it could start again. The dialogue is incredible! The costumes are hilarious, but true to the era. And this film should be bringing more film students and film buffs into Fasbinder's world for years to come.

It is always interesting watching a film where virtually every character (with the exception of Petra's daughter, an innocent victim in all this) is more or less dislikeable. More than one person has found this film inaccessible due to the fact that nearly everyone has mixed motives & hidden agenda.

This also makes it impossible to take satisfaction in Petra's personal disintegration, since Karin is equally manipulative & self-serving. Petra's supreme arrogance makes it impossible for her to consider the notion that others might be able to exploit her just as she exploits others...while the viewer may see her comeuppance in the distance, it is a true shock to Petra when she is discarded. Ironically, it is when she has gotten what she deserves that she becomes the most sympathetic to the viewer.

Nobody should go into this movie expecting a lot of action or great cinematography...the claustrophobic nature of the film very much reflects the stage origins of this screenplay. Lots of dialogue, no action, a lot of not-very-nice characters...this movie will not be for everybody, definitely. However, this doesn't mean that it is not a very fine film.

Perhaps Fassbinder's most revolutionary film, Petra von Kant manages to combine the stunning cinematography of Michael Ballhaus with very deliberate symbolism and a brilliant script of viscious circles to create an art form at once prosaic and highly intellectual at the same time. Fassbinder brings the theatre back into film (or maybe the other way round) and, as in 'Martha', we feel so strongly connected with the main character as to feel all the pain and agony. This movie is one truly powerful cinematic experience. One gets a sense of the often chaotic and emotional life that Fassbinder himself must have had.

I have to admit it. I wasn't especially impressed with The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant when I first saw it several years ago. In fact, my immediate reaction was that it was an overly long, claustrophobic, remarkable ugly-looking film. But now--somehow--I appreciate these as strengths of the film. (I'll try to explain this change of heart, to the best of my ability, in a moment.) But I think it's important to note that Petra von Kant is likely a very divisive film: some people are apt to love it, extremely and emphatically, while others may believe it is among the worst that cinema has to offer. In other words, this is a very different sort of film--unconventional, provocative but at the same time accessible. It certainly isn't as "difficult" (if that's the right word) as Godard's Weekend, Bergman's Persona, or Resnais' Last Year at Marienbad, but it certainly disregards some of the conventions that an audience associates with "popular entertainment."

Firstly, the film is constructed like an intimate play, with only a handful of actors, one interior setting (Petra von Kant's home), and only four or five scenes comprising the entirety of this two-hour film. The three main actresses of the film are all Fassbinder mainstays: Margit Carstensen (as the title character, a self-involved fashion designer), Hannah Schygulla (as her protegee, lover, and--later--antagonist), and Irm Herrmann (as her mysteriously silent live-in assistant). The plot, which is less significant in itself than it is as a vehicle to learn about these characters, centers on the rise and fall of the love affair between Petra von Kant and an aspiring model, to whom Petra becomes completely devoted, despite growing evidence of the latter's manipulations and callousness. This ultimately destructive relationship is mirrored by the apparently obsessive devotion the assistant offers to Petra, who repays her, customarily, either with indifference or cruelty.

For those who are unfamiliar with the Fassbinder aesthetic, Petra von Kant is maybe not the best primer, however. Ali: Fear Eats the Soul, The Marriage of Maria Braun, or The Merchant of Four Seasons would seem like better introductions. The cinematography in a Fassbinder film (except perhaps in Whity and the black-and-white films) is by definition often grainy, dreary, and consciously unattractive. While this certainly may be off-putting to a connoisseur of, say, Sven Nykvist's clean and austere cinematography or the grandeur of Technicolor (which Fassbinder took a stab at in the vastly underrated Whity), the "anti-aesthetic" of his films seems oddly appropriate, given that many of his protagonists are what society calls losers, deadbeats, and misfits--and given many of the pitiable, seedy, and wildly melodramatic circumstances in which they often find themselves.

And speaking of melodrama--Petra von Kant perhaps achieves the greatest heights of melodrama (a la Fassbinder), when near the end of the film, the rejected and now extremely unstable Petra sits on the floor in an unfurnished room in her home engaging in furious drunken tirades at whoever (BESIDES her missing lover) might have the nerve to come to wish her a happy birthday. The scene is at once affecting and campy, human and outrageous, with Petra viciously rejecting everyone but the person she (apparently) can't have (i.e., possess, dominate).

So, all in all, what at first struck me as overly long, claustrophobic, and ugly seemed strangely effective and appropriate during the second viewing. The length of the scenes and the confined setting lent themselves to the intimacy and character-analysis of the film, and the gritty and dingy aesthetic seemed fitting in a film which so demonstratively points to the depths of human loneliness, desperation, and self-destructiveness. (But again, this film isn't the best match for people who expect quick-moving, plot-driven, big budget conventional movie-going fare. Although I've been fully converted, even I didn't appreciate it the first time I saw it.)