"Bildnis einer Trinkerin. Aller jamais retour" or "Portrait of a Female Drunkard. Ticket of No Return" or "Ticket of No Return; Portrait of a Woman Drinker" is a West German German-language movie from 1979 that is already over 35 years old. It is one of the most known works by writer and director Ulrike Ottinger. The film runs for slightly over 100 minutes and is in color and live action of course. If you understand the title, you also understand the very general plot idea. It is a depiction of alcoholism and several people suffering from this terrible disease, mostly women, but occasionally also a male. I personally think this is a very difficult film to construct a convincing story around as it has to feel very authentic in terms of the writing and the actors have to be good and master the challenge of playing an alcoholic without making it look fake or try-hard, but also still be serious enough so that the audience never feels they are watching an actor actually.
And I don't think this had been achieved here. One reason may be that the experimental, almost avant-garde take on thinks makes it even more difficult to work. It's like Brakhage meets "The Lost Weekend". And this is also why I personally am not surprised that this movie here did not receive any awards attention at all apparently, even if it has not been forgotten like other Ottinger works. I recommend the likes of "Bad Lieutenant" or Harald Juhnke's somewhat autobiographical movie "Der Trinker", which strikes much more on an emotional note than this one here. And I can't deny I was kinda bored by this one here on some occasions and I did not care half as much for the characters as I hoped I would. Thumbs down from me. Not recommended.
And I don't think this had been achieved here. One reason may be that the experimental, almost avant-garde take on thinks makes it even more difficult to work. It's like Brakhage meets "The Lost Weekend". And this is also why I personally am not surprised that this movie here did not receive any awards attention at all apparently, even if it has not been forgotten like other Ottinger works. I recommend the likes of "Bad Lieutenant" or Harald Juhnke's somewhat autobiographical movie "Der Trinker", which strikes much more on an emotional note than this one here. And I can't deny I was kinda bored by this one here on some occasions and I did not care half as much for the characters as I hoped I would. Thumbs down from me. Not recommended.