Martha (1974)
Genre: Drama / Thriller
Duration: 116 minuten
Country:
West Germany
Directed by: Rainer Werner Fassbinder
Stars: Margit Carstensen, Karlheinz Böhm and Barbara Valentin
IMDb score:
7,5 (3.180)
Releasedate: 28 May 1974
This movie is not available on US streaming services.
Martha plot
"A bond marked by fear!"
Martha, a single woman, is on vacation with her father when he dies of a heart attack. Back at home, she takes care of her ungrateful mother, who sees her as an "ugly spinster" and insults her continuously. In the end, she accepts an offer of marriage from Helmut, a man who treats her disrespectfully and violently. Naive as she is, Martha still thinks he will change, but when she meets an old colleague of his, Kaiser, he tells her that Helmut is a real sadist. When she meets Kaiser again, Martha is convinced that Helmut has followed her and will kill her.
Actors and actresses
Martha
Helmut
Marianne
Kaiser
Mother Heyer
Father Heyer
Erna
Meister
Dr. Salomon
Hotel Guest
Reviews & comments
dutchtuga
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- 16970 messages
- 4101 votes
Martha started how I don't like a Fassbinder; large-scale and primarily aimed at telling a broad story. I saw this go completely wrong before with Die Ehe der Maria Braun, for example. Fassbinder is imo best when dealing with raw human drama.
From the moment Martha marries Helmut, the film turns completely into a psychological drama that surprised me positively. I had never seen Fassbinder like this before.
The psychological, sadistic and power-hungry games of Helmut (great role by Bohm) are a bull's eye and that, in combination with the touching naivety of Martha, gives the film a bad atmosphere and, for my part, the film can be partly classified as a thriller in the style of Hitchcock.
Visually not always beautiful, but the strong roles and the good screenplay ensure that I give this a small 4 *.
Translated from Dutch · View original
Movsin
-
- 8151 messages
- 8322 votes
Anyone who likes somewhat absurd characters, a rather sultry to slightly erotic atmosphere, unnatural dialogues and strange, questioning situations (the man in the hotel room) should be at Fassbinder's idiosyncratic, contrary cinema, especially in the first part of this "Martha ". Love this director because the element of "surprise" is constantly present in his films. You are always curious about the next scene and know that it can be very unexpected.
However, "Martha" is a film about psychological oppression within marriage. Martha is a victim of her husband's sadistic tendencies. Some call the film a melodrama. As far as the end of the film is concerned, I can agree, but before that the emphasis is on the perversity with which Martha is "played".
Good staging, solid camera work, no lengthy scenes and excellent acting, from both Margit Carstensen, subscriber to Fassbinder, Karlheinz Böhm and the rest of the cast.
Translated from Dutch · View original
scorsese
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- 12764 messages
- 10794 votes
Nice film about a woman who gets married after her father dies. A somewhat strange film, especially at the beginning. Enough happens and the relationship that develops between the woman and man is well worked out. Margit Carstensen is good in the title role. For 3.5 stars it is a bit too repetitive.
Translated from Dutch · View original
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