Filme von Rainer Werner Fassbinder

Angst vor der Angst (Fear of Fear)

Margot’s (Margit Carstensen) and Kurt’s (Ulrich Faulhaber) marriage happens smoothly and without much ado but also without great emotion – an inconspicuous relationship of the type one tends to call harmonic. Margot and Kurt live in Kurt’s mother’s (Brigitte Mira) house, where his sister (Irm Hermann) and her husband (Armin Meier) live as well. This is a source of friction, sometimes even open conflicts, especially when the mother forcefully intrudes into Margot’s life. Since funds will be limited until Kurt finishes evening classes, these conditions are accepted, even by Margot: One must try to fit in and one must learn to subordinate oneself if circumstance so demands. Also, Margot has plenty to divert her thoughts: She must take care of the household and of Kurt, and after all she also has to look after Bibi (Constanze Haas), the daughter Margot loves more than anything else in the world. Possibly Bibi is the only human being in Margot’s life she really loves unconditionally and with her whole heart. And this is reciprocal. One early and ordinary spring day – Margot is pregnant with her second child – the frail idyll bursts apart, and all of a sudden Margot’s life has changed. Out of the blue, Margot gets anxiety attacks – a fear she is incapable of describing to anyone, let alone know its reasons or even what exactly Margot is scared of. As a result of her husband’s and her family’s helplessness and because the doctors are clueless (at times they diagnose depression, at other times schizophrenia and prescribe tranquilizers) Margot withdraws increasingly into herself. She knows that in the future she will live with her fear of fear and nobody will be able to help her.

Weltvertrieb
R.W.F. Werkschau

Verleih (D)
Basis-Film

Produktionsjahr
1975
Regie
Rainer Werner Fassbinder
Buch
Rainer Werner Fassbinder, after an idea of Asta Scheib
Kamera
Jürgen Jürges
Musik
Peer Raben
Schnitt
Liesgret Schmitt-Klink
Ausstattung
Kurt Raab
Besetzung
Margit Carstensen (Margot Staudte) Ulrich Faulhaber (Kurt) Brigitte Mira (Mutter) Irm Hermann (Lore) Armin Meier (Karli) Adrian Hoven (Dr. Merck) Kurt Raab (Herr Bauer) Ingrid Caven (Edda) Lilo Pempeit (Frau Schall) Helga Märthesheimer (Frau Dr. von Unruh) Herbert Steinmetz (Dr. Auer) Hark Bohm (Dr. Rozenbaum) Constanze Haas (Bibi)
Produktion
WDR
Format
16 mm, color, 88 Min.