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I Only Want You to Love Me

Play trailer Poster for I Only Want You to Love Me 1976 1h 44m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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100% Tomatometer 9 Reviews 89% Popcornmeter 250+ Ratings
Peter (Vitus Zeplicha) is a hardworking bricklayer who lives a lonesome life. His parents are cruel and unloving and his wife (Elke Aberle) is distant. In an attempt to finally win their affection, Peter builds his parents a home. But when that fails to yield the desired result, he instead moves his wife to Munich and showers her with lavish gifts. And though he cannot afford this lifestyle, he keeps at it. The pressure ultimately proves too great and he loses control, succumbing to alcoholism.

Critics Reviews

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Simon Abrams House Next Door 02/25/2011
Without Rainer Werner Fassbinder's characteristic sense of detachment, the director's Sirkian melodrama I Only Want You to Love Me wouldn't be nearly as engrossing as it is. Go to Full Review Stephen Holden New York Times 01/15/2005
A grim Germanic variation on a classic theme that can never bear too much repeating: Can't buy me love. Go to Full Review Dave Kehr Chicago Reader 01/01/2000
Interesting if somewhat didactic. Go to Full Review Andrew Lowry Total Film 06/12/2012
4/5
It's Fassbinder's eye for detail and psychology that drives things home. Go to Full Review Sean Axmaker Turner Classic Movies Online 12/17/2011
... he brings a morose naturalism to the film even as creates an atmosphere of isolation through the performances. Go to Full Review Fernando F. Croce CinePassion 02/13/2010
Every image slices like a shiv Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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07/10/2012 A great psychological character study - Fassbinder's makes the audience so sympathetic to Allerson that we must forgive him for his sins. See more 01/04/2008 Fassbinder was a genius!!! See more Read all reviews
I Only Want You to Love Me

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Cast & Crew

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Rainer Werner Fassbinder

Director

Vitus Zeplicha

Peter Trepper

Elke Aberle

Erika

Alexander Allerson

Vater Ernst Trepper

Katherina Buchhammer

Ulla

Johanna Hofer

Erikas Großmutter
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I Only Want You to Love Me

I Only Want You to Love Me (1976) I Only Want You to Love Me (1976) I Only Want You to Love Me (1976) I Only Want You to Love Me (1976) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Peter (Vitus Zeplicha) is a hardworking bricklayer who lives a lonesome life. His parents are cruel and unloving and his wife (Elke Aberle) is distant. In an attempt to finally win their affection, Peter builds his parents a home. But when that fails to yield the desired result, he instead moves his wife to Munich and showers her with lavish gifts. And though he cannot afford this lifestyle, he keeps at it. The pressure ultimately proves too great and he loses control, succumbing to alcoholism.
Director
Rainer Werner Fassbinder
Producer
Peter Märthesheimer
Screenwriter
Rainer Werner Fassbinder
Genre
Drama
Original Language
German
Release Date (DVD)
Oct 1, 2015
Runtime
1h 44m