This movie fails for me because I couldn't make myself care about Elvira. All the time I'm being told how sad and tragic her life has been, but all I could see was a needy, self-absorbed dimwit. And everyone speaks like they're in a bad novel, full of interminable, uninteresting monologues. I did like the moments of humor; they weren't terribly funny, but they provided a welcome break from the doom and gloom pity party. Incredible cinematography, though.

Devastatingly beautiful, passionate, poetic and bleak, one of Fassbinder's most exquisitely filmed and emotionally exhausting film ever.

My favorite Fassbinder movie. Obviously a work of tremendous passion, apart from being totally original and cinematographically astounding, it's also deeply lyrical without ever losing its head. This movie is like a sober and worldly epic poem. By the way, thanks a lot for the spoilers, imdb and Criticker.

Tackling overwhelming desire and obsession we have with one another, Fassbinder proves here to be a bit on the distracted side, but this film manages to show the worry and distress one has for oneself when lonely. Some images are beautiful, some are startling, some childish, some are dark, and some just downright nasty (you'll know this one when you see it).

Full of depressing content, but also glimmers of hope and laughter that keep it from being emotionally draining. Elvira may not be all that sympathetic but it's not hard to feel sorry for her and the struggles she goes through in the film trying to piece together her life. A few flaws like the overindulgent monologues are made up for by the great photography and acting. Ultimately it's an interesting and rewarding character study.

#386

"Comes down to a series of operatic examinations of questions pertaining to free will, chance, cause and effect, moral responsibility, self-sacrifice and spiritual atonement." - Ed Gonzalez

371

# 392

335

I wish I could feel more about it, rather than being pitying and distant. Ended up with this guilty appreciation of the beauty and emotion put into it from Fassbinder's passion, that could maybe be reversed into camp.

Like much of Fassbinder, very difficult to evaluate, but easy to forgive the occasional misstep.