The Merchant of Four Seasons (1972)

Original title

Händler der vier Jahreszeiten

Directed by

Rainer Werner Fassbinder

Genre

drama film

Country

Germany

Runtime

1h 29m

Rated

16

Rating

6.7 of 10 from 85 voters

Elsewhere

IMDb

How it feels

A fruit peddler in 1950s Munich struggles with his abusive family and a failing marriage. He tries to find some small happiness but his self-destructive behavior and the cruelty around him lead to a tragic end.

melancholicbleakgrimtenseslow-burnemotionally drainingunsettlingraw

What happens

The Merchant of Four Seasons (German: Händler der vier Jahreszeiten) is a 1972 West German film written and directed by Rainer Werner Fassbinder, starring Hans Hirschmüller and Irm Hermann. The plot follows the life of a fruit-peddler, living in 1950s Munich. "Hans - wife-beater, caricature of stunted manhood, treated like shit by his middle-class family—tries to make a little happiness of his own, and fails miserably." The title derives from the French expression for a fruit and vegetable seller, un marchand des quatre-saisons. The film explores issues of class prejudices, domestic violence, infidelity, family discord, depression and self-destructive behavior. (from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)

Trailer

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