I Only Want You to Love Me (TV Movie 1976) Poster

(1976 TV Movie)

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7/10
surprised
enthu_c24 December 2009
OK, since this movie was only film by RWF - beside Ali:Fear eat the soul - that I saw, I would not dare to judge him properly.

Though, this movie inevitably let the audience sense that it was made in such a hurry, and there are room for some refinement. Still, these unpolished scenes bring surprises with its idiosyncratic shot composition and editing, as Godard's early films do. as another reviewer mentioned, the last scene was a delight and sorrowful, simultaneously.

Peter's character (played superbly by Vitus Zeplichal) is one of the most interesting characters I've seen, but at the same time, it's a character that is most likely to exist in real life, and it is easy to relate. Definitely an interesting movie for people interested in psychology, it raises a lot of questions.

There's another layer of narrative ,which is told by RWF directly towards the audience through a text on the screen. I found this layer to be rather 'too-much-information' and redundant, but at the same time, it gave the audience an unrestricted perception of character's mind.
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Lost Fassbinder masterpiece
nunculus9 December 2000
Made in a hurry for German TV, this demonstration of the adage that You Can't Buy Love is shot in a quasi-documentary style that evokes the British lumpenprole aesthetic of Mike Leigh and Ken Loach. But Fassbinder is no social-worker/muckraker; this tale of a guy who just wants a little tenderness has the lockstep tragedic structure of Racine or Aeschylus. As in most of Fassbinder's best work, like FOX AND HIS FRIENDS, the impulse toward melodrama is naked and unashamed. The score, by Peer Raben, exceeds his most brilliant efforts. And the last line, and the hero's reaction, caught in nightmarish freeze-frame, stands as one of Fassbinder's greatest masterstrokes.
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10/10
movie about tenderness in modern, estranged times
anhmvanlindert26 March 2002
As usual with Fassbinder this movie is about a search for tenderness and love in estranged, modern times. Some of the most beautiful shots I have ever seen. And yet so simple. This movie made me deeply cry. Never will I forget the scene where he declares that he loves his wife, and that she says she will call him schnauz, because he reminds her of a dog. Outside, in the snow. Fassbinder is an artist who depicts the tragedy of modernity, of our society in which we are lost.
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10/10
Are You Still Glad to Be Alive?
Sylviastel20 June 2019
The film is a touching story of life in West Germany in the 1970s. A German man named Peter wants to be really loved. The story about the man is quite touching and unfolds about his childhood with a disapproving father and indifferent mother. He finds love and happiness with Erika and they have a son, Ernst. Still nothing satisfies him emotionally. He spends money to buy happiness even though he is bricklayer. The film is touching, complex and worthwhile about a man who is relatable. If you enjoy German cinema, this is a must to watch in evoking sentiment and understanding.
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6/10
Quality filmmaking from Fassbinder and Zeplichal Warning: Spoilers
"I Only Want You to Love Me" is a West German 100-minute movie from 1976, so this one has its 40th anniversary this year. it is not among the earliest works by writer and director Rainer Werner Fassbinder, so this one has color. And it features Austrian actor Vitus Zeplichal playing the main character, an actor who worked with Fassbinder on several occasions, but this is by far his biggest role. I find it a bit sad to see that this movie is nowhere near Fassbinder's most known as I found it a pretty convincing watch and superior to many other works from the auteur, mostly works that are much more famous. It is certainly not the rule for Fassbinder to have a male protagonist as he usually focuses on the female state of mind in his (most known) films, but here he proves that he can also deliver great quality when it comes to depictions of male characters. The protagonist here is a man who tries to make everybody happy, but on the way to that he forgets to make himself happy. Money (or lack thereof) is an absolutely essential component in this one and everybody who has ever struggled with his finances will feel for the character. It's really easy to care for him and there were more than just a few scenes that stay in mind, for example the one with the pullover and the sewing machine (presents). I felt really sorry for him during this scene. People with a less altruist view than myself will probably have an easier time criticizing the main character for his actions, but I found him extremely likable. This is also why I struggled so much with the violent ending. I liked this much more in terms of Fassbinder's "Herr R."s amok movie from 6 years earlier and I also found the character and the actor too kind to pull this one off. But this is my only concern with this film. It was downright great and touching at times and I was tempted to give it even an ****/*****. I certainly recommend the watch, Fassbinder is really strong here.
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