The Marriage of Maria Braun

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Michael H I watched this one night and was drawn in to the story. It was compelling and engaging and I wanted to see how it played out. At the end when Herrmann and Maria are finally together again, you want to know, can they recapture what they had? Has too much happened and they have become too different? Then they die in a gas explosion. I completely wasted two hours of my life. Rated 1/5 Stars •  Rated 1 out of 5 stars 02/12/24 Full Review dave s Rainer Werner Fassbinder's The Marriage of Maria Braun is Fassbinder's examination of post-WW2 Germany as it rebuilds itself from the rubble of its defeat, mirrored by the life of its central character Maria Braun (Hanna Schygulla). Devastated by the apparent death of her husband of two days, Hanna rises from the depths of her despair to elevate herself into the upper echelons of German society by manipulating those around her to meet her considerable needs. While the film certainly has its strong points, it needs to be seen primarily for the stunning performance of Schygulla, a true movie star who radiates personality and sexuality in every scene she's in. It's not a perfect movie by any stretch (there are some odd close-ups of things like prison keys and cigarette packs that may or may not be foreshadowing and the music score sometimes appears needlessly out of nowhere), but Schygulla makes it all worthwhile. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review s r 1001 movies to see before you die. This was a sad, yet resilient movie. Full of important themes relating to the German people post WW2 and how their "miracle" was born on the backs of its women who were left soulless after their sacrifices. It was well made and acted. The whole "Miracle in Bern", with Germany beating Hungary being played over the radio at the end was a genius touch of irony to the ending. Saw it on HBO. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review William L So many decades later and audiences still find Fassbinder's thematic selections to be daring and subversive. Intentionally blurring the lines between 'acceptable' personal ambition and morally gray survival instinct (as the language skills that she learned to better communicate with bar patrons and potential American johns in seedy bars serve her well as an assistant and business liaison in a formal corporate setting, while simultaneously pursuing an affair with her boss), Schygulla's Maria is at once a portrait of resolute confidence and ambition as well as a mire of internal conflicts. Beyond that, though, there is also Fassbinder's take on what constitutes love - Maria is an unashamed sex worker who recognizes both the practicality of her profession and the personal pleasure associated with it, while society (in its period setting, at the time of release, and even today) would still largely condemn her without interest in context; this perspective is further complicated by her sincere love for her husband Hermann that remains and even flourishes beneath the events of the film, many of which would seem to cause overt conflicts between the pair according to the standards of the day. Then beyond love (and tied into practical need), there is also the consideration of happiness and contentment, which Fassbinder depicts as something else entirely. In the immediate postwar, it is superficial luxuries that characters are willing to supposedly debase themselves for, with surprising quick cuts to an open pack of cigarettes that have been weighed against the value of a precious brooch (there are more than one or two clever pieces of cinematography like this used to provide thematic heft). As Maria's profession, her social status, and the economic condition of West Germany evolves, the nature of these distracting contentments does as well. A metaphor for the changes in the German state as a whole in the years following WWII, when you approach the end of the runtime and reflect upon the character development over these two hours, you may be shocked. (4/5) Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 03/09/21 Full Review roman l In you like Fassbinder, you will love it. Rated 4.5/5 Stars •  Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Audience Member This 1978 Fassbinder movie starts with the film's eponymous hero Maria getting married to her husband Hermann in Germany during World War II just as a bomb being dropped threatens to curtail proceedings. Thankfully the couple's union is officially sealed and Hermann then goes off to fight in the war himself. After learning later that her new husband has been tragically killed Maria starts to go to a local bar frequented by American soldiers to work as a waitress. She meets a black US soldier called Bill who she then starts a relationship with. They are just getting it on one day when...to tell you anymore would be to reveal a huge plot detail that I'm not going to spoil for you! I first heard about this film when at university studying Film Studies as one of my tutors had the poster for the movie on her office wall. Whilst it's interesting to see a character doing what needs to be done to survive and indeed prosper within challenging circumstances, I found this film to be a bit, erm, flat. I've read great reviews regarding it with many critics and casual viewers stating the opinion that this is one of Fassbinder's best movies. When it was originally released it not only wowed the critics but also performed very well at the box office. But I think that this is maybe because many of the more radical and idiosyncratic aspects of Fassbinder's films aren't present here hence making it more palatable for cinemagoers used to more mainstream and linear films. I think that if you have a lead character who can become so detached and cold as to exploit those around her for her own gain even if it's done in exceptionally destitute circumstances, you don't have an especially likeable character who audiences can engage with. At least that's what I felt. Plenty of critics and moviegoing audiences disagree though. Not a complete disaster by any stretch of the imagination with great acting and fantastic cinematography as ever by Michael Ballhaus who would go on to work with Scorsese after his tenure with Fassbinder was over. Rated 2.5/5 Stars •  Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 02/19/23 Full Review Read all reviews

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