The Marriage of Maria Braun
1979 [GERMAN]
Action / Drama / Romance

Plot summary
Maria marries a young soldier in the last days of World War II, only for him to go missing in the war. She must rely on her beauty and ambition to navigate the difficult post-war years alone.
Director
Top cast
Tech specs
720p.BLU 1080p.BLUMovie Reviews
Germany Reborn
Rainer Fassbinder at his peak
Allegory for postwar Germany...examination of modernist female sexuality...Marxist critique of human labor under capitalism...yada, yada. I won't bore you with that prattle. Which isn't to say those idea weren't baked into the movie or that you're wrong to see the movie as deeply philosophical. But it certainly isn't necessary to enjoying the movie.
The Marriage of Maria Braun is a great film without needing to be dissected as some dull academic thesis paper. Maria depicted quite spectacularly by Hanna Schygulla, she plays a character who I can't really decide is tragic or the real "villain." This is one of those weird films where every character is so endearing and well written that it's painful to see things go so off the rails for them.
Ending was a little obvious, and I could argue it was too dumb for the rest of the movie, but overall an amazing production.