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While the film is clearly a political allegory, it is by no means a simple condemnation of the builders of the new Germany. Fassbinder is much too subtle for that kind of didacticism. Although the shock ending of the film does offer a definite moral for the audience, the film offers a tentative but probing exploration of the post-war mentality. It is particularly evocative in its presentation of the gender roles that were developing at that time. All of this means that, as the credits scroll up, we are asked to re-examine our own society and indeed ourselves. One can imagine that this self-examination process would have been especially relevant to Fassbinder's contemporary audience, but even today and outside Germany, this well-crafted and moving film has much to offer.
Fassbinder uses the situation to explore ideas of faith, loyalty and betrayal, by incorporating a sub-plot in which Maria, who believes her husband has been killed during battle, begins a passionate relationship with one of the American G.I.s who hangs out at the bar where she works. The notions that arise from this set up are the same notions and themes that will be fleshed out in the BRD films that would follow, with the external similarities of plot and location being found in the next film Lola, whilst the internal angst and ideas of loneliness and despair can be found in the final film, Veronika Voss. This film is a lot less visual than the two films that follow, though there is certainly a more expressive approach to editing, composition & lighting used by cinematographer Michael Ballhaus, similar to the work he did on the director's earlier film, the bitter social satire, Chinese Roulette.
From this, we see an attempt by Fassbinder to distance the audience from the action in the same way he uses exaggerated framing to (visually) distance the characters from one another... a device that is most evident in the scene in which Maria's husband, once believed to be dead, finally arrives home. The set up & the bold, almost, theatrical way in which Fassbinder develops the story makes for great, affecting drama, with the lead actors, in particular Hanna Schygulla, Klaus Löwitsch and Ivan Desny giving strong and believable performances that seem to elevate the film above the realms of something that could have very easily resembled a TV movie of the week. Fassbinder, as always, has a strong command over the proceedings, keeping the story moving at a brisk pace, though still allowing enough room for the film to linger over a moment of poetic transcendence or, true to his theatrical roots, a moment of improvisation from his actors.
The Marriage of Maria Braun is, without question, the highpoint of Fassbinder's intelligent and imaginative trilogy and remains one of my all time favourite films. If you are new to Fassbinder's cinema I would perhaps recommend starting with one of his earlier, less complex films, such as The Merchant of Four Seasons, Why Does Herr R. Run Amok? or ALI: Fear Eats the Soul, which demonstrate the filmmaker's grasp over ideas of simple narrative, characterisation and mise-en-scene without the occasionally distracting notions of politics and social history that we find in these films. If, after those pictures, you still feel compelled to experience the films of Fassbinder, then start here and move through the BRD Trilogy, onto Despair, The Year of 13 Moons, Effi Briest and Querelle.
Part of the "BRD trilogy" of films by Fassbinder, this film is set in the years 1945-1955 (thereabouts). Read more
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