The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant

A masterpiece by Rainer Werner Fassbinder, the Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant is an intimate depiction of unrequited love and psychological abuse. Fassbinder portrays these topics using an all female cast, who are however, overshadowed by a neoclassical male nude who's torso is present in almost every shot of the film. This work celebrates Fassbinder's training in theater in which he sets the entire film within the confines of an apartment that looks, at times, like a prison cell. Petra von Kant continuously battles with herself and her assistant, who is ordered to do absolutely everything for Petra short of drinking the vodka that is poured for her. The relationship between Petra and her assistant is a closer examination of the tumultuous feelings that occur within Petra herself. The story ends with the assistant leaving Petra's side.