Liebe ist kälter als der Tod (1969)

Unusual gangster story, in which a small-time pimp Franz, who is torn between his mistress and Bruno the gangster sent after him by the syndicate that he has refused to join. Things are ... See full summary »

Director:

Rainer Werner Fassbinder

Writer:

Rainer Werner Fassbinder

Stars:

Ulli Lommel, Hanna Schygulla, Katrin Schaake

2 wins & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Ulli Lommel	...	Bruno
Hanna Schygulla	...	Johanna
Katrin Schaake	...	Dame im Zug
Liz Söllner	...	Zeitungsverkäuferin
Gisela Otto	...	Prostituierte
Ursula Strätz	...	Prostituierte
Monika Nüchtern	...	Kellnerin beim Türken (as Monika Stadler)
Hans Hirschmüller	...	Peter
Les Olvides	...	Georges
Peer Raben	...	Jürgen (also Waffenhändler (voice)) (as Wil Rabenbauer)
Howard Gaines	...	Raoul
Peter Moland	...	Leiter des Syndikatsverhörs
Kurt Raab	...	Aufsichtsperson im Kaufhaus
Peter Berling	...	Illegaler Waffenhändler
Anastassios Karalas	...	Türke

Storyline

Unusual gangster story, in which a small-time pimp Franz, who is torn between his mistress and Bruno the gangster sent after him by the syndicate that he has refused to join. Things are turned on their head when Franz and Bruno become friends, to the point that they even share Franz's girlfriend Joanna. But Joanna soon becomes bored of Bruno.

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Plot Keywords:

gangster | pimp | shot to death | serial killer | cigarette smoking | 

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Taglines:

Eine knallharte Geschichte vom Leben, vom Lieben und vom Sterben

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Genres:

Comedy | Crime

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Details

Country:

West Germany

Language:

German English

Release Date:

16 January 1970 (West Germany)

Also Known As:

El amor es más frío que la muerte

Filming Locations:

Landsberger Straße, Munich, Bavaria, Germany

Box Office

Budget:

DEM 95,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Antiteater-X-Film

Technical Specs

Runtime:

88 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Did You Know?

Trivia

Rainer Werner Fassbinder performs a number of different roles on this film: He was director, writer, actor and editor.

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Crazy Credits

Für Claude Chabrol, Éric Rohmer, Jean-Marie Straub, Linio und Cuncho

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Connections

Featured in Fassbinder in Hollywood (2002)

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Soundtracks

Der Rosenkavalier
By Richard Strauss

User Reviews

Dark vision of Fassbinder's cinema future

The place is Germany 1969. Fassbinder would direct his first full-length atmospheric piece. The film probably only should be viewed by those already interested in his cannon of work. The dry characters and dialogue work well within it's context but for the primitive viewer or the non-convert, this won't win any awards. I had saw the film the first time over a year ago and thought it was OK. I decided to re-watch it last night and walked away with completely a different opinion than before. Fassbinder knew the importance of the non-dialogue scenes and how to make them stand out, with expressionistic photography and stark settings. The music used here in the film is also first rate in adding to the mood. Ulli Lommel, Hanna Schygulla and Katrin Shaake (sp?) are all wonderful here. Fassbinder's role seems to be playing himself, like in all of his work. I rate this film very highly though my favorites of his work are: "Beware of Holy Whore", "Whity" and "Bitter Tears of Petra Von Kant".