Fassbinder paints the image of a typical family with rather dark colours.
The mother-in-law and the sister-in-law are always nosing around, looking for a chance to point their finger at the wife. The husband is busy working and preparing for an exam, so he barely has any time for his wife, they are worlds apart.
The main focus, though, is the wife herself, Margot. She develops an unfounded - the birth of her second child is the trigger, maybe because it makes her realise how alienated she is from her family and society in general. Her children are her final shelter, but when her daugther wants to visit her grandmother, not to mention when it's time for her to go to the kindergarden, she thinks that not even them are an ever reliable source of love. That's especially evident when she tells her daughter that it would be so much better if she were older, so that they could communicate, which is exactly what she can't do right now, there's no one that gets her - and uncontrollable fear and that's only the start of her problems. Addiction to Valium, alcohol abuse and infidelity are all on the menu - the latter being a means to exploit the pharmacist and gain access to more drugs. None of those provide any comfort, not even the professionals can contribute meaningfully. One makes a schizophrenia diagnosis, while another one completely rejects that notion and finds her depressed but healthy. In short, no cure on the horizon. The only momentary relief comes every time she randomly meets Herr Bauer, a fellow mentally ill person, because he acts as a point of reference that makes her feel better for herself. That's why his suicide was good news for her.
The intense portrayal of her descent into madness is achieved through the camera work (such as the Point of View shots where Margot's vision gets blurry or the frequent mirror shots or the dramatic close ups), the use of music and of course Margit Carstensen's performance.
The movie also features some cool framing, for example when Margot walks the street in front of the pharmacy and we watch her from a window. Another noteworthy and surprising factor is the occasional comedic moment, considering how dark the plot is.
The mother-in-law and the sister-in-law are always nosing around, looking for a chance to point their finger at the wife. The husband is busy working and preparing for an exam, so he barely has any time for his wife, they are worlds apart.
The main focus, though, is the wife herself, Margot. She develops an unfounded - the birth of her second child is the trigger, maybe because it makes her realise how alienated she is from her family and society in general. Her children are her final shelter, but when her daugther wants to visit her grandmother, not to mention when it's time for her to go to the kindergarden, she thinks that not even them are an ever reliable source of love. That's especially evident when she tells her daughter that it would be so much better if she were older, so that they could communicate, which is exactly what she can't do right now, there's no one that gets her - and uncontrollable fear and that's only the start of her problems. Addiction to Valium, alcohol abuse and infidelity are all on the menu - the latter being a means to exploit the pharmacist and gain access to more drugs. None of those provide any comfort, not even the professionals can contribute meaningfully. One makes a schizophrenia diagnosis, while another one completely rejects that notion and finds her depressed but healthy. In short, no cure on the horizon. The only momentary relief comes every time she randomly meets Herr Bauer, a fellow mentally ill person, because he acts as a point of reference that makes her feel better for herself. That's why his suicide was good news for her.
The intense portrayal of her descent into madness is achieved through the camera work (such as the Point of View shots where Margot's vision gets blurry or the frequent mirror shots or the dramatic close ups), the use of music and of course Margit Carstensen's performance.
The movie also features some cool framing, for example when Margot walks the street in front of the pharmacy and we watch her from a window. Another noteworthy and surprising factor is the occasional comedic moment, considering how dark the plot is.