Querelle (1982)

Director:

Rainer Werner Fassbinder

Writers:

Jean Genet (novel)
Rainer Werner Fassbinder (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

8 September 1982 (France)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

It will take you into a surreal world of passion and sexuality, further than most would dare to go. [Video Australia]

Plot:

French sailor Querelle arrives in Brest and starts frequenting a strange whorehouse. He discovers that...

Plot Keywords:

Sailor | Brest | Harbor | Naval Uniform | Homosexual

Awards:

3 nominations

Cast

Brad Davis	...	Querelle
Franco Nero	...	Lieutenant Seblon
Jeanne Moreau	...	Lysiane
Laurent Malet	...	Roger Bataille
Hanno Pöschl	...	Robert / Gil
Günther Kaufmann	...	Nono
Burkhard Driest	...	Mario
Roger Fritz	...	Marcellin
Dieter Schidor	...	Vic Rivette
Natja Brunckhorst	...	Paulette
Robert van Ackeren	...	Betrunkener Legionär
Werner Asam	...	Arbeiter
Isolde Barth	...	Mädchen
Axel Bauer	...	Arbeiter
Neil Bell	...	Theo

Also Known As:

Querelle - Ein Pakt mit dem Teufel (Germany) (video title)
Querelle: A Film About Jean Genet's 'Querelle de Brest' (International: English title)

Runtime:

108 min

Country:

West Germany | France

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby (Dolby stereo)

Certification:

Italy:VM18 | Germany:16 (re-rating) | Australia:R | Portugal:M/18 | Argentina:18 | Finland:K-18 | France:-16 | Norway:18 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:R | West Germany:18

Filming Locations:

CCC-Atelier, Spandau, Berlin, Germany

Company:

Planet Film

Trivia:

Selected in competition at the 1982 Venice Film Festival. In that edition, the Golden Lion for best film went to 'Wim Wender''s Der Stand der Dinge (1982) much to the disgust of Marcel Carné, who withdrew from President of the Jury after releasing the following statement, that can still be seen printed at the beginning of the copies of Querelle circulating in Italy: " I would love to make a personal statement. While being President of the Jury, I would love to express my disappointment in not having been able to convince my colleagues to place R.W. Fassbinder's "Querelle" among the winners. As a matter of fact, I've found myself alone in defending the Movie. Nevertheless, I keep on thinking that, although controversial, R.W. Fassbinder final movie, want it or not, love it or hate it, will one day find its place in the HISTORY of CINEMA. Marcel Carné ".

Quotes:

Narrator: And humility can only be born of humiliation, otherwise it is nothing but vanity.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Man yan (2004)

Soundtrack:

Each Man Kills The Things He Loves

Each man kill the thing he loves.

"Querelle",which was last work of Rainer, was my first Fassbinder's experience. I think many times before see it, because I didn't know if "Querelle" was the correct film to begin to understand the work of an artist like Fassbinder. But, i decided... and i read a Lot of critics that tell that was a bad movie and a bad work of Fassbinder... i think just the opposite. Fassbinder's "Querelle" is one of the best movies that i have ever seen with this delicate topic of homosexuality.

Fassbinder's "Querelle", based in the novel of the same name by Genet, told us the story of Querelle, a sailor who is going to live an unpleasant conflict among him and the people who surrounds him. Is a tale of sexuality and murder. Fassbinder's "Querelle" is an important anlization of the man's decadence. A man that is able to murder, to sell his best friend, to be a real monster. But Querelle is a man, and at the same time is a selfish monster... like much of us. The movie is too an analization of the masculine thing, and is important have clear that Fassbinder's "Querelle" is not a gay film at all... is the recognition of different ways to love.

I have not seen much of Fassbinder (I hope that my next film, that i want see: "The Marriage of Maria Braun", catch me like this one) but this work with poetic force is one of the most important looks (As i said before) to the human decadence (With "Salò o le 120 giornate di Sodoma" and "Dogville"). I hope that people that has not still seen it don't be allowed to guide of much of the bad critics. Just see it... and tell us the things that you think. For me, is a real masterpiece.

*Sorry for the mistakes... well, if there any.