The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant

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Dave S Petra (Margit Carstensen) is a fading fashion designer, living in an oddly eclectic home, who spends her days in existential angst, obsessively dwelling on past relationships and her current state of affairs. Rainer Werner Fassbinder’s The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant deals with a wide range of themes, including the inherently fractious nature of relationships, jealousy, human suffering, generational manipulation, and love, among other things. While it may be too talky for its own good at times, much of the dialogue is brilliantly insightful. It’s also beautifully directed by Fassbinder, featuring countless beautifully blocked shots, excellent cinematography, and great performances from the entire cast. It’s not something that all viewers will enjoy, but will be rewarding for those who stick it out until the end. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 12/01/24 Full Review PridePosterStudios Keep your hair on, Petra… Rated 1/5 Stars •  Rated 1 out of 5 stars 05/09/24 Full Review peter w The use of mannequins as props drives home the themes of roles and performances in this challenging Fassbinder film. The blank surfaces of the mannequins contrast sharply with the Rubenesque mural that exudes life and vitality. Interacting within these two modes are the characters who are navigating the roles that they face in their lives with varying degrees of satisfaction. It is a fascinating exploration of power among the three generations of the van Kants, an assistant, a friend and an outsider who all find their roles challenged by Maria's apparent self-absorption. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review William L "I don't understand why everything must be so complicated when it can be simple." Sort of like Bergman, but with the melodrama dialed up and pain expressed through extravagant outfits rather than depression (though that may be a recent viewing of Cries and Whispers talking). Fassbinder's film feels like a relic from his vaunted career launchpad in theatre (because it is a direct adaptation of a stage play, and retains a confined atmosphere to match), with a minimal cast and a reliance on sincere interpersonal drama. Bitter Tears rides the waves of passion, diving headfirst into a beautifully self-absorbed and volatile fashion designer, Carstensen's titular Petra von Kant; the script draws you in with her enticingly chemical personality and penchant for melodrama, before gradually slipping into a sincere portrayal of obsession and desire. Contrasting Petra's increasingly authoritarian and sadistic treatment of her assistant Marlene (and her own daughter, and any visitor unfortunate enough to visit her home) with her increasingly submissive and degrading relationship with her lover-muse Karin delivers an interesting portrayal of desire, only wearing a thin veneer of garishness in a continuously rotating retinue of wigs. Where does the melodrama end and the sincere feeling begin? Is there a line between the two? Maybe there isn't after all. Emotion is emotion. (4/5) Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 09/27/21 Full Review s r 1001 movies to see before you die. An odd film showing women's struggle for meaningful relationships. Saw on HBO Rated 3/5 Stars •  Rated 3 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Audience Member Perhaps no one other than Faye Dunaway has portrayed grandiose suffering so eloquently as Margit Carstensen in The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant. Fabulous costumes, claustrophobic cinematography, and flawless direction all certainly contribute to the film's greatness, but it's Rainer Werner Fassbinder's withering dissection of human power dynamics that truly sets Bitter Tears apart. The prolific dynamo auteur challenges his audience to both endure Petra's theatric wallowing and senseless cruelty, but also sympathize with her almost pitiful vulnerability. Gleefully stifling and endlessly indulgent, Fassbinder's multi-layered masterwork only becomes better with age. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/01/23 Full Review Read all reviews

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