7.3
Fox, a former circus performer, wins the lottery of DM 500,000 and can now have the life and things that he has always wanted. While he wants to climb up the social ladder, it isn't without turmoil, and being torn between his old working class roots, and the shiny new facade of middle class consciousness.
Rainer Werner Fassbinder
Franz "Fox" Bieberkopf
Peter Chatel
Eugen Thiess
Karlheinz Böhm
Max
Adrian Hoven
Wolf Thiess, Eugen's Father
Christiane Maybach
Hedwig
Harry Baer
Philip
Hans Zander
Barman Springer
Kurt Raab
Wodka-Peter
Rudolf Lenz
Attorney Dr. Siebenkäss
Karl Scheydt
Klaus
Peter Kern
Florist "Fatty" Schmidt
Karl-Heinz Staudenmeyer
Krapp
Walter Sedlmayr
Car Dealer
Bruce Low
Doctor
Marquard Bohm
American Soldier
Brigitte Mira
Shopkeeper #2
Evelyn Künneke
Secretary at Travel Agency
Barbara Valentin
Albine
Elma Karlowa
Shopkeeper #1
Ingrid Caven
Singer in Bar
Lilo Pempeit
Neighbor
Ulla Jacobsson
Eugen's Mother
Hark Bohm
Policeman Müller (uncredited)
Katherina Buchhammer
Madame Antoinette (uncredited)
El Hedi ben Salem
Salem the Moroccan (uncredited)
Irm Hermann
Madame Cherie / Bar Singer (voice) (uncredited)
Dietrich Kerky
Inspector Braun (uncredited)
Ursula Strätz
Isabel (uncredited)
Director, Writer
Rainer Werner Fassbinder
Writer
Christian Hohoff
November 19, 2024
7
Hats off to Rainer Werner Fassbinder who does just about everything in this rather sad depiction of a young gay bloke who wins the lottery. His lifestyle changes overnight, as does his popularity with the venal, exploitative "Eugen" (Peter Chatel) who becomes his boyfriend only to bleed the rather naive young fella dry. Sadly, much of the potency has long since departed this very dated drama. The imagery - plenty of full frontal male nudity and a causal, seedy, approach to sex in general was probably shocking in 1975 - but 55 years later, it is nothing remarkable; indeed at times it seems curiously prurient as there is virtually no actual sex. It has lost none of it's poignancy though - as a rather savage indictment of the human creature when large sums of money become involved, and of how the vulnerable just end up getting used - albeit sometimes willingly - as they enjoy their new status as "somebody's" before ending up totally abandoned by their parasite friends when the money runs out and the spotlight is shining elsewhere. I never found Fassbinder to be a physically attractive man, but like Klaus Maria Brandauer (to whom he bears a passing resemblance) he has a charisma that gets under the skin - and in this rather sordid tale of excess he excels. The supporting cast are competent, but this really is a one man show which, though I cannot honestly say I enjoyed, is well worth watching.
Status:
Released
Original Language:
German
Budget:
$0.00
Revenue:
$0.00