Fear of Fear (1975)

Margot, who lives in a comfortable middle class apartment, fears that she is losing her mind after having had her second child. Her husband Kurt, who is busy studying for an exam, does not ... See full summary »

Director:

Rainer Werner Fassbinder

Writers:

Asta Scheib (based on an idea by), Rainer Werner Fassbinder (film)

Stars:

Margit Carstensen, Ulrich Faulhaber, Brigitte Mira

1 nomination.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Margit Carstensen	...	Margot
Ulrich Faulhaber	...	Kurt, ihr Mann
Brigitte Mira	...	Mutter
Irm Hermann	...	Lore
Armin Meier	...	Karli
Adrian Hoven	...	Dr. Merck
Kurt Raab	...	Herr Bauer
Ingrid Caven	...	Edda
Lilo Pempeit	...	Mrs. Schall
Helga Märthesheimer	...	Dr. von Unruh
Herbert Steinmetz	...	Dr. Auer
Hark Bohm	...	Dr. Rozenbaum
Constanze Haas	...	Bibi, Margots Tochter

Storyline

Margot, who lives in a comfortable middle class apartment, fears that she is losing her mind after having had her second child. Her husband Kurt, who is busy studying for an exam, does not understand her situation. Her mother-in-law and sister-in-law Lore are openly hostile to her. She resorts to valium and drink, and looks for sympathy, but to no avail.

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Plot Keywords:

psychic | emotional depression | valium | new german cinema | married couple | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Did You Know?

Quotes

[repeated line]
Bibi, Margots Tochter: I want my mommy!

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Connections

Featured in Great Directors (2009)

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Soundtracks

Lover, Lover, Lover
Written and Performed by Leonard Cohen

User Reviews

Nothing to Fear but Fear Itself

Margot is a young, beautiful housewife living in comfy middle class apartment with her ever busy husband, daughter and new baby on the way. Near the end of her term she starts to feel uneasy, "hysteric" and fearful. Margot seems to be losing her mind, and what's worse, starts to believe it. Now she has to persuade other members of her family to take notice....

This is the story of woman in the midst of personal crisis, abandoned, frustrated and feeling trapped by her own life. Developing some sort of dissociation and facing frequent depressive episodes she focuses on herself forgetting about her "duties" as mother and wife along the way. She slowly transforms from quiet, submissive wife to rebellious infant terrible. Margot is taking further steps to distant herself from every day life, cold husband and nosy mother and sister in law - living next door. In fact she sheds middle class skin and runs from clichés and expectations the society has forced upon her. Of course, she's not very subtle while doing it: her goal is to draw attention to herself.

She descends into madness she once feared and - just like the rest of the "normal" people around her - mocked, embracing it by now. More pills another sip of cognac...and the fear takes a step back. Husband starts to take notice, he is worried, but Margot might be too far gone.

Essentially, without preaching or intervening, Fassbinder just tells a story, no clear solutions, no answers to why is this woman so sad and resentful of her life. But I find this portrayal very true to life (for those who can afford it) and psychologically compelling. Sometimes it's the way sensitive individuals protest against the expectations and shelves they are being stuffed into...sometimes the fear of losing oneself while playing the role is just overwhelming.

The fear of finding the true self...and never finding the true self.

Details

Country:

West Germany

Language:

German

Release Date:

8 July 1975 (West Germany)

Also Known As:

Fear of Fear

Filming Locations:

Bonn, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany

Box Office

Budget:

DEM375,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$11,623, 16 February 2003

Gross USA:

$8,144

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$8,144

Company Credits

Production Co:

Westdeutscher Rundfunk (WDR)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

88 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1