Effi Briest

Rating:
Summary: Deceptively exquisite masterpiece
Review: Coming at the midpoint of his 43-film career, Effi Briest is one of Fassbinder's greatest, and most universally acclaimed, films. The DVD transfer of Effi Briest is flawless.

Theodor Fontane's 1895 novel, about the consequences of betrayed love, was long a favorite of Fassbinder's. Effi Briest was so important to Fassbinder that he not only wrote the screenplay (which was customary), but in his extensive role as the offscreen narrator he literally became Fontane's voice, and sometimes even Effi's. Adding yet another personal layer, he also cast his own mother, Lilo Pempeit, as Effi's mother.

Although I believe this is one of Fassbinder's most intricate masterpieces, as suggested below, it is also one of his most accessible films. On its most basic level, it features an engrossing melodrama about adultery, albeit one purposefully shorn of histrionics. Set in the closed, repressive Prussian society of the Bismarck era, it shows what happens when teenage Effi Briest (Hanna Schygulla, who appeared in twenty of Fassbinder's films), with prodding from her parents, makes an expedient marriage to a rising politician twice her age, Baron Geert von Instetten, and later has an affair with the charming Major Crampas. The film is marked by performances of exceptional nuance and depth; rich period detail and production design; and striking black and white cinematography. But it also works on many more levels - not only as Effi's wrenching story but as Fassbinder's profound involvement both in the social implications of her tale and in his probing of the expressive possibilities of film itself.

Fassbinder (sometimes accused of being a "stagy" director) here shows his mastery of the expressive possibilities of image. To take one example, just over an hour into the film, there is a scene with Effi and Instetten in their boudoir, which follows the scene where Instetten spied on his wife and her lover (although Effi does not know this). Vsually, Fassbinder plays off of our knowledge of the fraught context by creating a beautiful but telling emblem for Effi's married life. We see her in a nightgown, looking towards the camera, cosseted behind a lace net which fills the frame; her eyes downturned, she sinks into a luxurious feather bed, sippin coffee. Behind Effi sits her stiff husband in a suit, his head bracketed by a grille, trying to trick her into revealing her infidelity. Both of them are watched over by a praying plaster cherub, ironically suggesting the role religion plays in their lives. This one shot - gorgeous yet tense (both compositionally and dramatically) - tells us so much about Effi, her life, and the social/political nature of her world.

On a narrative level, Fassbinder uses the film's formal construction to explore the very repression in Effi's life and world. Like agitprop playwright Bertolt Brecht (some of whose works Fassbinder staged at his theatre), Fassbinder wants to give us distance from the action so that we can better contemplate its social, and perhaps even personal, implications. At one emotionally charged moment, the narrator tells us that Effi "threw herself on Instetten." But we see no such thing. The couple is offscreen, and we are left in the kitchen watching the servants desultorily preparing a meal. This defuses the melodrama, which produces a fascinating double effect. On the one hand, it thwarts our expectations - hence giving us aesthetic distance; but on the other hand, it forces us to imagine the scenes for ourselves - which, paradoxically, draws us even further into Effi's life.

In Effi Briest, Fassbinder brings together image, emotion, and idea in extraordinarily rich and complex ways, even as he tells an engrossing story. To take just one more example, it is no accident that this film is filled with statues, which so uncannily parallel the stiff people who share the screen with them. This is a world in which the human figures increasingly recede into the background, where outdoors they are obscured by branches and bushes, while indoors their rigid forms are framed in narrow doorways and reflected - constrained and meaninglessly multiplied - in a series of ever more elaborate mirrors. Fassbinder has captured the poetry of repression: Exquisitely beautiful but enervating, and, ultimately, fatal.

Rating:
Summary: "And always the sound of the sea."
Review: Every year, I hold a Fassbinder film festival. A friend of mine who loathes Fassbinder films for their depressing and morose qualities says that "Fassbinder Festival" is a contradiction in terms, but it doesn't matter because I'm the only one who attends my film festival anyway.

"Effi Briest" is one of Fassbinder's better films and is based on the novel by Fontane. The film is set in the 1800s, and the story begins with Effi (Hanna Schygulla), a 17-year-old girl who is about to embark on an arranged marriage to the Baron Innstetten. Innstetten is a much older man--in fact, many years before, he courted Effi's mother, but was considered unsuitable. Innstetten is now an upwardly mobile civil servant about to move into the heady realm of politics, and the fact that he is old enough to be Effi's father, doesn't seem unreasonable to the Briest family. Effi accepts her parents' wishes that she marry a man she doesn't know, and the marriage is considered to be socially and financially advantageous. Effi leaves her childhood behind and travels with her new husband to the remote town of Kessin, and here she leads a drab existence. Effi doesn't really fit in with the locals, and her husband--although a good man--is boring, remote and cold. Consequently, life for Effi in Kessin is boring and stifling. Soon Effi falls into the arms of the effete Major Crampas, and Effi embarks on an adulterous affair that is not motivated by love--but boredom.

Many of the film's scenes begin with the characters already in place--but frozen as though awaiting the viewer to breathe life into them. This gives the film an almost play-like quality. Many of the scenes blur or simply explode into white as the story moves forward. This black and white film is long--140 minutes--and no doubt due to the slow unwinding of the story, it is not for all tastes. The French have "Madame Bovary" (with all the drama and passion), the Russians have "Anna Karenina" (with all the cruel indifference), and the Germans have "Effi Briest." The characters in this film could only be German. Some of the best scenes in the film involve philosophical debates between Innstetten and his friend, Wullersdorf. I found the conversations between these characters quite fascinating.

The women in the film (with the exception of Effi) are all quite monstrous. Johanna, the female servant has a face hard enough to be carved from marble, and Effi's mother has a heart of stone. Effi is made of softer stuff--she is warm, loving and full of life but seems destined for tragedy. Note director Fassbinder's use of mirrors and windows in the film. Effi often glances at her reflection, and this exposes her humanity and vanity--both tragic flaws that contribute to her ultimate downfall. I think this film is almost perfect, and I enjoy it more each year-displacedhuman.

Rating:
Summary: "And always the sound of the sea."
Review: Every year, I hold a Fassbinder film festival. A friend of mine who loathes Fassbinder films for their depressing and morose qualities says that "Fassbinder Festival" is a contradiction in terms, but it doesn't matter because I'm the only one who attends my film festival anyway.

"Effi Briest" is one of Fassbinder's better films and is based on the novel by Fontane. The film is set in the 1800s, and the story begins with Effi (Hanna Schygulla), a 17-year-old girl who is about to embark on an arranged marriage to the Baron Innstetten. Innstetten is a much older man--in fact, many years before, he courted Effi's mother, but was considered unsuitable. Innstetten is now an upwardly mobile civil servant about to move into the heady realm of politics, and the fact that he is old enough to be Effi's father, doesn't seem unreasonable to the Briest family. Effi accepts her parents' wishes that she marry a man she doesn't know, and the marriage is considered to be socially and financially advantageous. Effi leaves her childhood behind and travels with her new husband to the remote town of Kessin, and here she leads a drab existence. Effi doesn't really fit in with the locals, and her husband--although a good man--is boring, remote and cold. Consequently, life for Effi in Kessin is boring and stifling. Soon Effi falls into the arms of the effete Major Crampas, and Effi embarks on an adulterous affair that is not motivated by love--but boredom.

Many of the film's scenes begin with the characters already in place--but frozen as though awaiting the viewer to breathe life into them. This gives the film an almost play-like quality. Many of the scenes blur or simply explode into white as the story moves forward. This black and white film is long--140 minutes--and no doubt due to the slow unwinding of the story, it is not for all tastes. The French have "Madame Bovary" (with all the drama and passion), the Russians have "Anna Karenina" (with all the cruel indifference), and the Germans have "Effi Briest." The characters in this film could only be German. Some of the best scenes in the film involve philosophical debates between Innstetten and his friend, Wullersdorf. I found the conversations between these characters quite fascinating.

The women in the film (with the exception of Effi) are all quite monstrous. Johanna, the female servant has a face hard enough to be carved from marble, and Effi's mother has a heart of stone. Effi is made of softer stuff--she is warm, loving and full of life but seems destined for tragedy. Note director Fassbinder's use of mirrors and windows in the film. Effi often glances at her reflection, and this exposes her humanity and vanity--both tragic flaws that contribute to her ultimate downfall. I think this film is almost perfect, and I enjoy it more each year-displacedhuman.

Rating:
Summary: A difficult, highly-stylized, frustrating film
Review: Fassbinder (deliberately, I don't doubt) flouts the first principle of film-making, "show don't tell." Not only does he himself read passages from "the German _Madame Bovary_" but hs not infrequently inserts passages as intertitles like those in silent films.

The film is quite talky, but the talk is devoid of emotion. Shots are held very long (especially in contrast to the jumpiness of other German films of the 1970s). This is an impossible film to like and it's hard to admire it because the stylization is so extreme. Obviously, Fassbinder chose to illustrate a classic of German literature rather than to try to bring it to life. But why?

Rating:
Summary: A difficult, highly-stylized, frustrating film
Review: Fassbinder (deliberately, I don't doubt) flouts the first principle of film-making, "show don't tell." Not only does he himself read passages from "the German _Madame Bovary_" but hs not infrequently inserts passages as intertitles like those in silent films.

The film is quite talky, but the talk is devoid of emotion. Shots are held very long (especially in contrast to the jumpiness of other German films of the 1970s). This is an impossible film to like and it's hard to admire it because the stylization is so extreme. Obviously, Fassbinder chose to illustrate a classic of German literature rather than to try to bring it to life. But why?

Rating:
Summary: A cinematic gem; one of Fassbinder's best.
Review: Fassbinder creates a masterpiece of cinematic literature: With the richness of black and white shades that mirror the printed work and the subtle textures of a film style reminiscent of turning pages, Fontane's novel of Wilhelmian society is presented as "Literature for the Big Screen." A work which explores social duty and opression with melodramatic flavor, whether you are a fan of soaps, a student of literature or film, or simply someone with an appreciation for aesthetic appeal there is something to be enjoyed, if not truly savored, from the experience of Effi Briest.

Rating:
Summary: wham bam thank you mam
Review: I love how this film more than any of his others recalls the days when we didn't have to fight for our right to party.all the clothes match with the dialog.the star's eyes don't seem as red as they do in other films because I heard she didn't drink rum on the set of this one.it really rocks and doesn't fart you out with long speeches.I like the title cause it sounds really fancy.it's like when you first hear the phrase wham bam thank you mam..it makes you feel like that and I love that.

Rating:
Summary: Domesticity against freedom!
Review: The stifling domesticity of the german society is superbly adapted by Rainer Werner Fassbinder supported by the novel of Theodor Fontane.
A teenager (17) tries to escape from a hell marriage with a count too much older than her , when she decides to establish a love affair with a soldier.
Once more the simultaneous views with other similar themes such as Madame Bovary , Anna Karenina or Tess is the best proof that the prejuices of the european society didn't change too much . The adultery is the only way : and the prize you 've to pay deserves in much the masquerade of trying to convince herself and the society an imaginary hapiness.
We know this story believe or not , still lives : the situations may be different but the meaning essence is real. There are so many unhappy couples not necesarily married who prefer to keep united instead to give a jump to a unknown universe . They prefer the security before the emotional independence .
A latinoamerican writer told once : * The love when it doesn't exist , you need to invent it *.
Fassbinder seems to walk in the border of the soap melodram , but it never falls in it . This is the first movie who shows the huge admiration felt by Fassbinder through Douglas Sirk.
Warning for instance the unexpected casualities among these two brilliant film makers. Both of two lived in a febrile existence and certainly lived faster his biologic time . Sirk made twenty nine films in just sixteen years : while Fassbinder made thiry six pictures in eighteen years.
However Fasssbinder was a more human film maker : he never made a judgement about any of his characters : he loved them instead his faults : the humanity and the huge perception of the female soul is supported in an interview given for the lovely and gifted actress Hanna Shygulla where she stated that they never agree about the tragic pathos who loaded the soul of Fassbinder , she thought that it was possible in a couple , go beyond all the circunstances and deserve the triumph, while he always denied it. She afirmed that this point of view was due the homosexual condition of Fassbinder.
This film is a gem of thousand carats. 140 min run before the viewer without you realize.
This work is an artistic triumph! and one of my top favorites of this german film maker.
After you watch it , you'll remember this sentence of Erich Fromm : The man has achieved undeniable technological progress but emotionally , he still keeps in the age stone.

Rating:
Summary: A good voyage into morals of 19th century
Review: This movie is probably more "conventional" of all Fassbinder's movies I have seen. However, I liked the way it was done. The story itself left an indelible impression of me, apart from its cinematographic strengths and weaknesses. I think it portrayed bourgeois Germany of 19th century with its hypocritical morals very well. The very reason why Effi was cast out of society and rejected by her parents seems to be absurd for a modern viewer, and I trust that Fassbider wanted to examine exactly that. The personal drama of Effi, the mother who comes to hate her own daughter, I think is very powerful. I believe it's a good tribute by Fassbinder into studies in German society and its culture. A very much worthwhile film, interesting to compare this handling of an issue with Bergman's dealing with similar issues. This is definitely not a Hollywood style movie. Recommended.

Rating:
Summary: A good voyage into morals of 19th century
Review: This movie is probably more "conventional" of all Fassbinder's movies I have seen. However, I liked the way it was done. The story itself left an indelible impression of me, apart from its cinematographic strengths and weaknesses. I think it portrayed bourgeois Germany of 19th century with its hypocritical morals very well. The very reason why Effi was cast out of society and rejected by her parents seems to be absurd for a modern viewer, and I trust that Fassbider wanted to examine exactly that. The personal drama of Effi, the mother who comes to hate her own daughter, I think is very powerful. I believe it's a good tribute by Fassbinder into studies in German society and its culture. A very much worthwhile film, interesting to compare this handling of an issue with Bergman's dealing with similar issues. This is definitely not a Hollywood style movie. Recommended.