Die bitteren Tränen der Petra von Kant

Successful fashion designer Petra von Kant (Margit Carstensen) lives in an opulently furnished luxury apartment with her maid Marlene (Irm Hermann). She falls passionately in love with the younger Karin (Hanna Schygulla), who only takes advantage of her, however. When Karin’s husband returns from Australia after a long absence, she leaves Petra. Petra then offers Marlene – who she previously treated like a piece of furniture – freedom and pleasure. Marlene, who never spoke a word, packs her suitcase and leaves Petra. This story of power and oppression, dependence and possession is based on a play by Fassbinder. The lavishly furnished apartment, the film’s sole setting, conveys excess and decadence as well as a sense of suffocating confinement. Kurt Raab, who was responsible for the set design, had also been a close collaborator on Fassbinder’s theatre and film projects for ten years as an actor and assistant director.