The Marriage of Maria Braun (1979)
"Die Ehe der Maria Braun" (original title)

This movie follows the life of a young German woman, married to a soldier in the waning days of WWII. Fassbinder has tried to show the gritty life after the end of WWII and the turmoil of ... See full summary »

Director:

Rainer Werner Fassbinder

Writers:

Pea Fröhlich (screenplay), Peter Märthesheimer (screenplay),

Stars:

Hanna Schygulla, Klaus Löwitsch, Ivan Desny

Nominated for 1 Golden Globe. Another 15 wins & 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Hanna Schygulla	...	Maria Braun
Klaus Löwitsch	...	Hermann Braun
Ivan Desny	...	Karl Oswald
Gisela Uhlen	...	Mother
Elisabeth Trissenaar	...	Betti Klenze
Gottfried John	...	Willi Klenze
Hark Bohm	...	Senkenberg
George Eagles	...	Bill (as George Byrd)
Claus Holm	...	Doctor
Günter Lamprecht	...	Hans Wetzel (as Günther Lamprecht)
Anton Schiersner	...	Grandpa Berger
Lilo Pempeit	...	Frau Ehmke
Sonja Neudorfer	...	Red Cross nurse
Volker Spengler	...	Train conductor
Isolde Barth	...	Vevi

Storyline

This movie follows the life of a young German woman, married to a soldier in the waning days of WWII. Fassbinder has tried to show the gritty life after the end of WWII and the turmoil of the people trapped in its wake.

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Plot Keywords:

soldier | konrad adenauer | capitalism | death of title character | explosion | 

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Taglines:

The Marriage Of Maria Braun. . . the marriage lasted no longer than half a day and a full night.

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Genres:

Drama | War

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

West Germany

Language:

German English

Release Date:

23 March 1979 (West Germany)

Also Known As:

The Marriage of Maria Braun

Filming Locations:

Berlin, Germany

Box Office

Budget:

DEM 1,975,000 (estimated)

Gross:

SEK 2,942,838 (Sweden)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Albatros Filmproduktion, Fengler Films, Filmverlag der Autoren

Technical Specs

Runtime:

120 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Fujicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Rainer Werner Fassbinder:  Peddler who sells Maria the black dress

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Quotes

Senkenberg: Your union is talking socialism, Klenze, and I don't like it.
Willi Klenze: We're only paying you back in kind. It's no wonder, the way you play the entrepreneur.
Senkenberg: The secretary of the treasury said...
Willi Klenze: Yeah, "We're all in the same boat." Trouble is, it's your boat, and we have to row it.

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Crazy Credits

At the very end of the credits the following persons are 'credited' by their picture: Konrad Adenauer, Ludwig Erhard, Kurt Georg Kiesinger and Helmut Schmidt and a disconnected phone line can be heard.

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Connections

Referenced in At the Movies: The Long Good Friday/Class of 1984/Lola/Pink Floyd The Wall (1982)

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Soundtracks

"Moonlight Serenade"
Written by Glenn Miller

User Reviews

Allegory of Postwar Germany

Alright already, get over it, was Handke's comment to the 1968 meeting of the Gruppe 48 -- those writers who wanted to "heal" from the war. Well Fassbinder doesn't want to heal, he wants to indict. And this movie, probably his most accessible, takes a woman as the symbol for the nation-- a theme common to prehistoric oral literature, particularly among the Irish, made famous by Grimmelshausen's Mother Courage and updated by Brecht's play. But in this version, instead of the tragic Mother trying to save her children and mourning them, Maria Braun sells out for comfort from collaboration with the Nazi's through the economic wonder "Wirtschaftswunder" of the cold war. This was Fassbinder's big hit, because he toned down his politics both sexual and marxist, to focus on the loss of soul that Germany experienced. It was also Hanna Schygulla's Oscar worthy performance, probably one of her best of many great ones. Like little Oskar from the Tin Drum, Maria Braun was stunted by the experience, only on the inside.