The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant is a 1972 movie directed by Rainier Werner Fassbinder.
The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant tells the story of a successful fashion designer who falls in love with a younger model. The relationship deteriorates and Petra finds her life unraveling.
Fassbinder’s brilliance lies in simplicity and execution. He precisely crafts a concise, but emotionally dense story that occurs in one space and features only five characters. The movie contains only a handful of dialogue-heavy scenes yet reveals the futility and darkness of love – a theme common in Fassbinder’s movies.
The acting is phenomenal. Margit Carstensen inhabits Petra, a sophisticated, successful woman who maintains a fetishistic command over her craft and life. She is equally domineering and vulnerable – a fascinating character study that Carstensen amplifies in both mournful and brutally vicious tones.
Petra lives with her assistant and fellow designer Marlene, played by Irm Hermann. Hermann is somber and silent – lingering like a timid shadow throughout the movie. She is submissive to Petra’s demands and absorbs increasing verbal abuse. Their relationship is indicative of sadomasochism, although it is never explicitly discussed.
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