Jane Shattuc on The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant

[@ashadedview]

You are so good. I just saw Francois Ozon's film Peter von Kant and of course had seen Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant many, many times and then I landed on your excellent analysis of the film and all I can say is , thank you. I wish I had your capability for analysis. Bravo.

[@kenneththompson8933]

Masterpiece of a film. Brilliant analysis.

[@siriusvenus8708]

The women really represent the men in Fassbinder's life, mostly himself as his female alter-ego.

[@PersephoneDarling28]

Brilliant analysis! I'd like to disagree with the notion that Marlene is getting abused though. She was getting exactly what she wanted, granted there was times where Petra took it a little too far like when she was in the emotional dregs over Karine but it's telling that at the end when Petra promises that the relationship dynamic will change that Marlene leaves. She stopped getting what she wanted out of their relationship and thus she simply ended it and left.

[@peeper879]

This is an intelligent and perceptive analysis. Thank you. I heard that the two leads depict Fassbinder's relationship with one of his male lovers, probably El Hedi ben Salem, but unfortunately I cannot recall where I heard this. Also the Marlene character may depict Kurt Raab, if my memory serves.

[@ICT17]

The lover was Gunther Kaufmann and Marlene was Willi Rabenbauer (Peer Raben).

[@gregscorzo1365]

Interesting analysis. I think the film is political in the way it challenges the victim/victimiser binary which is so endemic to Feminist politics. One of the fascinating aspects of Petra is she begins the film describing how she doesn’t want to be controlled by men.Yet her attempts to exert control over Karin often seem like expressions of love. Karin is callous because of how little control she allows her lover to have over her. And while Petra has more masculine power in the relationship (because of her age, money, and career) she’s ultimately powerless in the face of Karin’s youthful sexuality. Karin is unlikeable because she won’t be Feminised in a relationship. Her defiance is cruel because like it or not, love is about trust and bonds. You can’t nurture such bonds if your whims and spur of the moment decisions always take precedence over your partner’s feelings.

[@chrisflakus8681]

Brilliant analysis. I've been a fanatic Fassbinder fan (and now fledgling scholar planning to write my doctorate thesis on Berlin Alexanderplatz). As others in the comments below have mentioned Ozon's recent adaptation. I loved and wonder if you've seen his earlier adaptation of RWF's play "Water Drops on Burning Rocks" ? It's my understanding Fassbinder wrote the original Petra Von Kant based on his affair with Gunther Kaufman. I've always wondered about the choice to make the change. Fassbinder remains repellant, fascinating, anarchic, empathetic, I feel his films become more and more relevant.