The Marriage of Maria Braun (1978)

A World War II widow seeks to adjust to life in postwar Germany.

Director:

Rainer Werner Fassbinder

Writers:

Pea Fröhlich (screenplay), Peter Märthesheimer (screenplay)

Stars:

Hanna Schygulla, Klaus Löwitsch, Ivan Desny

Nominated for 1 Golden Globe. Another 13 wins & 4 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.

---

Plot Keywords:

female protagonist | post world war two germany | new german cinema | bar hostess | west germany | 

---

Taglines:

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

---

Genres:

Drama

---

Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

West Germany

Language:

German English French

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)

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

This film is part of the Criterion Collection, spine #204.

---

Quotes

Peddler: I just happen to have a beautiful edition of Kleist's works on hand.
Maria Braun: Books burn too fast. They don't give any heat.
Peddler: That's one way of looking at it.
Maria Braun: It's my way.
Peddler: Right now it's probably the right way.

---

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.

---

Connections

Featured in Auge in Auge - Eine deutsche Filmgeschichte (2008)

---

Soundtracks

Moonlight Serenade
Written by Glenn Miller

User Reviews

Most effective entry in Fassbinder's Wirtschaftswunder Trilogy

First and best of Fassbinder's Post-WWII "Wirtschaftswunder" films. His lead character, a young woman, determined to emerge out of Germany's WWII ruins as a success, literally "walks over corpses" to get what she wants. Marrying a man doomed to be among the last to "fall" for the Fuehrer and the German Reich, Maria is now "Frau" instead of "Fraulein". Initially searching for her MIA husband, she eventually gives it up and moves on. Climbing the ladder, Maria Braun has her share of good times. Showering her impoverished family with lavish presents and lifting everyone's life-style up by a notch, Maria becomes the celebrated "Wunderkind" who gets whatever she wants. Although her uppity attitude isn't always popular, and there is plenty of talk about Maria (and her "ways"), Maria Braun laughs it all away. The Marlene Dietrich-like heroine always has the last laugh, as the shocking ending proves.

This is a Modern Classic, one of the very best films to come out of the 1970s/80s German Cinema. Much stronger than "Veronica Foss" and in the league of "Das Boot", "The Marriage of Maria Braun" is a product of Modern German Dramatic Cinema's golden age. No sugar coating, just pure, unadulterated truth as seen through the rear-view mirror of people who have lived the horrors and survived into new tomorrows. A true gem of a film!