The Marriage of Maria Braun (1979) poster5

Germany10 Essential German FilmsStop 5 of 10

The Marriage of Maria Braun

Die Ehe der Maria Braun

1979 · 120 min · Drama

In the ruins of postwar Germany, a resourceful young woman whose soldier husband is missing uses her beauty and ambition to claw her way to prosperity while she waits for his return. Fassbinder's biting allegory of the country's economic miracle.

Why it’s here

Rainer Werner Fassbinder’s postwar melodrama is a central work of New German Cinema and a private history of the Federal Republic.

Runtime
120 min
Genre
Drama
Mood
thoughtful · dark
Entry
some context
Best for
character-driven drama

Content notes: war or political violence Non-exhaustive

Part of 10 Essential German Films

This film is stop 5 of 10 in the hand-ranked native-cinema route through Germany. See the complete ranking or read the selection methodology.

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