282:
he keep on studying and forbid him from taking a job that would get his hands dirty. Irmgard complains to her in-laws that Hans attacked her the night before. Heidi and her husband agree with the mother that Hans has always been good for nothing. Anna is the lone relative sympathetic to him, saying his family has always despised him and never gave him a proper chance. When Hans arrives, he tries to reconcile with his wife, but
Irmgard retreats to a corner of the living room screaming in terror while the brother-in-law stands in front of her. The two men struggle while Irmgard phones a lawyer, saying she wants a divorce. When she puts down the receiver, Hans begins to sing his favorite tune: "Buona, buona notte, you can't have everything you want." Then he has a heart attack.
274:
woman in an apartment building. She asks him to deliver the pears in person and invites him in, but he refuses, saying "some other time." The woman is the great love of Hans's life since his youth. When the suspicious
Irmgard questions why it took so long, he escapes her incessant complaints by abandoning his cart and going to a nearby bar. Soon, the sad ritual of his empty existence emerges: arguing with his wife, drinking excessively, lamenting lost personal and professional opportunities. While in the bar, Hans gets sentimental about his golden days as a policeman. In a flashback, he recalls how one day he brought a prostitute to the police station to take a statement, but she lured him into having oral sex. Caught by his superior, this incident got him fired.
290:
hospitalization. Fearing exposure of her indiscretion, she manipulates Anzell into overpricing the produce and afterwards sharing the extra earnings with her. He agrees, but
Irmgard knows he will be found out because her husband spies on Anzell when he goes through the courtyards. It happens as planned and Anzell is fired in disgrace, but Hans knows of Irmgard's infidelity.
294:
who takes the cart through the streets and earns more than Hans did. Irmgard tends a fruit stand while Hans sulks with too much time on his hands. Though Harry's professionalism and dedication bring Hans' business profitability and success, they also render Hans obsolete in his own life, leading him further into isolation and despair.
302:
comrades at the last minute though he really wanted to die. Like then, Hans no longer wishes to live. At a grand dinner with his wife, Harry and his buddies, Hans downs a few dozen shots of liquor, which promptly kill him on the spot. After the funeral, Harry agrees to stay with
Irmgard and takes up the life meant for Hans.
29:
281:
Irmgard, fleeing with Renate, finds support with Hans' family. His contemptuous bourgeois mother has always disdained Hans, as she favors her obedient married daughter Heidi and tolerates her outspoken college student daughter Anna. When Hans once dreamed of being a mechanic, his mother demanded that
277:
Irmgard appears at the bar to fetch him, but a drunk Hans says he will come home when he wants to. When his wife does not leave fast enough, he throws a chair at her. Finally Hans comes home intoxicated. Irmgard calls him a pig and he beats her up in front of their little daughter. The next morning,
273:
Hans works as a fruit peddler, calling out his products and diligently making his rounds through the residential streets. Short and stocky, he is married to the slim and taller
Irmgard, who helps him with his work. They have a young daughter, Renate. One day Hans sells fruit to an attractive married
297:
In his depression, Hans revisits the great love of his life. In his youth, he courted her with an armful of red roses, but she turned him down because her parents did not want her to marry a fruit peddler. Though married to someone else, she undresses for casual sex, but he leaves. When Hans visits
285:
While Hans is recuperating in a hospital bed, his wife lets herself be picked up by a man in the street and takes him home to bed. But her little daughter catches them having sex, after which
Irmgard sobs incessantly. At the hospital, Hans and his wife reconcile; she promises to stay with him. Once
293:
While dining with a friend, Hans is reunited with Harry, a close friend from his years in the
Foreign Legion who now waits tables, and immediately offers him a job. Soon Hans suggests to his wife that Harry move in with them. She protests, but Hans insists. Harry proves to be an industrious worker
301:
The doctor says large quantities of alcohol would be fatal for Hans because of his bad heart, and in the end, Hans deliberately goes to his regular bar. While drinking, he remembers an incident when he was in the
Foreign Legion in Morocco. Captured and tortured by an Arab, he was saved by his
289:
After his heart attack, Hans can neither work nor drink, so
Irmgard takes a larger role in the business. No longer able to push the cart around, Hans hires a hard-working and honest assistant, Anzell. He is the same man with whom, unknown to Hans, Irmgard had the brief affair during his
286:
he is back home and as they are about to have sex, Irmgard explains that sometimes she finds him funny because he is much shorter than she is and that she only grew interested in him in the first place because he was so comical.
270:. He is berated by his mother ("The good die young, and people like you come back", she says after hearing about the death of the young friend Hans had taken to the army with him).
375:
was a turning point in
Fassbinder's career, marking his entry into the international film arena. It is considered by film critics to be one of Fassbinder's best films. On the
311:
230:
68:
1020:
607:
485:
255:. The film explores issues of class prejudices, domestic violence, infidelity, family discord, depression and self-destructive behavior.
570:
512:
458:
413:
600:
439:
1015:
628:
749:
927:
709:
593:
522:
495:
468:
423:
967:
805:
645:
1030:
1025:
872:
1035:
1045:
1005:
919:
797:
669:
1010:
911:
1040:
1000:
538:
266:, the 1950s. Hans Epp, an ordinary but likable man, returns home after spending several years in the
856:
617:
226:
42:
725:
717:
316:
235:
73:
951:
693:
959:
885:
880:
864:
789:
267:
677:
580:
8:
995:
990:
813:
741:
903:
661:
773:
565:
518:
491:
464:
419:
585:
336:
87:
821:
765:
576:
97:
895:
757:
392:
376:
330:
298:
Anna, his favorite sister, she is busy with her studies and has no time for him.
218:
83:
440:"Fassbinder's The Merchant Of Four Seasons is a fascinatingly uncool early work"
781:
251:
The title derives from the French expression for a fruit and vegetable seller,
28:
984:
829:
203:
733:
685:
653:
354:
945:
324:
241:
79:
559:
117:
514:
Understanding Rainer Werner Fassbinder: Film as Private and Public Art
348:
837:
244:. The plot follows the life of a fruit-peddler, living in 1950s
263:
245:
415:
The New German Cinema: Music, History, and the Matter of Style
572:
The Merchant of Four Seasons: Downward Mobility in Munich
388:
248:, who is driven over the edge by an uncaring society.
615:
225:) is a 1972 West German film written and directed by
457:
Mercer, John; Shingler, Martin (September 6, 2013).
487:Magill's Survey of Cinema, Foreign Language Films
982:
278:Irmgard has disappeared and Hans is desperate.
456:
601:
363:Heide Simon as Heide, Hans's married sister
1021:Films directed by Rainer Werner Fassbinder
608:
594:
511:Watson, Wallace Steadman (June 30, 1996).
27:
345:Andrea Schober as Renate, Hans's daughter
484:Magill, Frank Northen (June 30, 1985).
460:Melodrama: Genre, Style and Sensibility
983:
510:
483:
589:
411:
379:website it has a 92% 'fresh' rating.
13:
710:The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant
418:. University of California Press.
14:
1057:
553:
412:Flinn, Caryl (February 9, 2004).
968:Fassbinder: Thousands of Mirrors
517:. Univ of South Carolina Press.
391:in the U.S. on July 9, 2002 in
360:Gusti Kreissl as Hans's mother
750:Mother Küsters' Trip to Heaven
539:"The Merchant of Four Seasons"
531:
504:
477:
450:
432:
405:
382:
351:as Kurt, Hans's brother-in-law
253:un marchand des quatre-saisons
1:
463:. Columbia University Press.
398:
223:Händler der vier Jahreszeiten
873:Eight Hours Don't Make a Day
702:The Merchant of Four Seasons
561:The Merchant of Four Seasons
373:The Merchant of Four Seasons
367:
214:The Merchant of Four Seasons
22:The Merchant of Four Seasons
7:
1016:1970s German-language films
798:The Marriage of Maria Braun
10:
1062:
912:I Only Want You to Love Me
670:Why Does Herr R. Run Amok?
158:10 February 1972
938:
848:
646:Love Is Colder Than Death
637:
624:
527:– via Google Books.
500:– via Google Books.
473:– via Google Books.
428:– via Google Books.
387:The film was released on
199:
191:
183:
173:
138:
124:
111:
103:
93:
64:
56:
48:
38:
33:Theatrical release poster
26:
21:
920:The Stationmaster's Wife
857:The Niklashausen Journey
618:Rainer Werner Fassbinder
543:The Criterion Collection
395:with English subtitles.
227:Rainer Werner Fassbinder
115:Rainer Werner Fassbinder
60:Rainer Werner Fassbinder
52:Rainer Werner Fassbinder
43:Rainer Werner Fassbinder
718:Ali: Fear Eats the Soul
305:
258:
147:10 March 1972
1031:Films set in the 1960s
1026:Films set in the 1950s
694:Beware of a Holy Whore
342:Karl Scheydt as Anzell
222:
16:1972 West Germany film
928:Berlin Alexanderplatz
790:In a Year of 13 Moons
268:French Foreign Legion
806:The Third Generation
678:The American Soldier
581:Criterion Collection
357:as Hans's great love
1036:Films set in Munich
742:Fox and His Friends
206:178,000 (estimated)
1046:1970s German films
1006:German drama films
963:(2000 documentary)
960:Fassbinder's Women
662:Gods of the Plague
1011:West German films
978:
977:
774:Germany in Autumn
312:Hans Hirschmüller
231:Hans Hirschmüller
210:
209:
69:Hans Hirschmüller
1053:
1041:1972 drama films
1001:1971 drama films
889:
766:Chinese Roulette
610:
603:
596:
587:
586:
577:Thomas Elsaesser
547:
546:
535:
529:
528:
508:
502:
501:
481:
475:
474:
454:
448:
447:
436:
430:
429:
409:
320:
239:
165:
163:
154:
152:
98:Dietrich Lohmann
77:
31:
19:
18:
1061:
1060:
1056:
1055:
1054:
1052:
1051:
1050:
981:
980:
979:
974:
952:Enfant Terrible
934:
896:World on a Wire
883:
844:
633:
620:
614:
556:
551:
550:
537:
536:
532:
525:
509:
505:
498:
490:. Salem Press.
482:
478:
471:
455:
451:
438:
437:
433:
426:
410:
406:
401:
385:
377:Rotten Tomatoes
370:
331:Hanna Schygulla
314:
308:
261:
233:
176:
169:
161:
159:
150:
148:
141:
134:
129:
127:
116:
86:
84:Hanna Schygulla
82:
78:
71:
34:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1059:
1049:
1048:
1043:
1038:
1033:
1028:
1023:
1018:
1013:
1008:
1003:
998:
993:
976:
975:
973:
972:
964:
956:
948:
942:
940:
936:
935:
933:
932:
931:(1980, series)
924:
916:
908:
900:
892:
877:
869:
865:Rio das Mortes
861:
852:
850:
846:
845:
843:
842:
834:
826:
818:
810:
802:
794:
786:
778:
770:
762:
754:
746:
738:
730:
722:
714:
706:
698:
690:
682:
674:
666:
658:
650:
641:
639:
635:
634:
632:
631:
625:
622:
621:
613:
612:
605:
598:
590:
584:
583:
568:
555:
554:External links
552:
549:
548:
530:
523:
503:
496:
476:
469:
449:
431:
424:
403:
402:
400:
397:
384:
381:
369:
366:
365:
364:
361:
358:
352:
346:
343:
340:
337:Klaus Löwitsch
334:
328:
322:
307:
304:
260:
257:
208:
207:
201:
197:
196:
193:
189:
188:
185:
181:
180:
177:
174:
171:
170:
168:
167:
156:
155: (Germany)
144:
142:
139:
136:
135:
132:
130:
125:
122:
121:
113:
109:
108:
105:
101:
100:
95:
94:Cinematography
91:
90:
88:Klaus Löwitsch
66:
62:
61:
58:
54:
53:
50:
46:
45:
40:
36:
35:
32:
24:
23:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1058:
1047:
1044:
1042:
1039:
1037:
1034:
1032:
1029:
1027:
1024:
1022:
1019:
1017:
1014:
1012:
1009:
1007:
1004:
1002:
999:
997:
994:
992:
989:
988:
986:
970:
969:
965:
962:
961:
957:
955:(2020 biopic)
954:
953:
949:
947:
944:
943:
941:
937:
930:
929:
925:
922:
921:
917:
914:
913:
909:
906:
905:
901:
898:
897:
893:
890:
887:
882:
878:
875:
874:
870:
867:
866:
862:
859:
858:
854:
853:
851:
847:
840:
839:
835:
832:
831:
830:Veronika Voss
827:
824:
823:
819:
816:
815:
811:
808:
807:
803:
800:
799:
795:
792:
791:
787:
784:
783:
779:
776:
775:
771:
768:
767:
763:
760:
759:
755:
752:
751:
747:
744:
743:
739:
736:
735:
731:
728:
727:
723:
720:
719:
715:
712:
711:
707:
704:
703:
699:
696:
695:
691:
688:
687:
683:
680:
679:
675:
672:
671:
667:
664:
663:
659:
656:
655:
651:
648:
647:
643:
642:
640:
636:
630:
627:
626:
623:
619:
611:
606:
604:
599:
597:
592:
591:
588:
582:
578:
574:
573:
569:
567:
563:
562:
558:
557:
544:
540:
534:
526:
524:9781570030796
520:
516:
515:
507:
499:
497:9780893562489
493:
489:
488:
480:
472:
470:9780231503068
466:
462:
461:
453:
445:
441:
435:
427:
425:9780520238237
421:
417:
416:
408:
404:
396:
394:
390:
380:
378:
374:
362:
359:
356:
353:
350:
347:
344:
341:
338:
335:
332:
329:
326:
323:
318:
313:
310:
309:
303:
299:
295:
291:
287:
283:
279:
275:
271:
269:
265:
256:
254:
249:
247:
243:
237:
232:
228:
224:
220:
216:
215:
205:
202:
198:
194:
190:
186:
182:
178:
172:
166: (France)
157:
146:
145:
143:
140:Release dates
137:
131:
123:
119:
114:
110:
106:
102:
99:
96:
92:
89:
85:
81:
75:
70:
67:
63:
59:
55:
51:
47:
44:
41:
37:
30:
25:
20:
966:
958:
950:
926:
918:
910:
902:
894:
879:
871:
863:
855:
836:
828:
820:
814:Lili Marleen
812:
804:
796:
788:
780:
772:
764:
758:Satan's Brew
756:
748:
740:
734:Fear of Fear
732:
724:
716:
708:
701:
700:
692:
684:
676:
668:
660:
654:Katzelmacher
652:
644:
575:an essay by
571:
560:
542:
533:
513:
506:
486:
479:
459:
452:
443:
434:
414:
407:
386:
372:
371:
355:Ingrid Caven
300:
296:
292:
288:
284:
280:
276:
272:
262:
252:
250:
213:
212:
211:
187:West Germany
175:Running time
971:(2023 book)
946:BRD Trilogy
884: [
876:(1972–1973)
726:Effi Briest
629:Filmography
383:DVD release
325:Irm Hermann
321:as Hans Epp
315: [
242:Irm Hermann
234: [
229:, starring
107:Thea Eymèsz
80:Irm Hermann
72: [
57:Produced by
39:Directed by
996:1971 films
991:1972 films
985:Categories
849:Television
399:References
327:as Irmgard
179:88 minutes
162:1972-02-10
151:1972-03-10
133:Tango Film
126:Production
120:(arranger)
118:Peer Raben
49:Written by
881:Jail Bait
616:Works by
368:Reception
349:Kurt Raab
104:Edited by
838:Querelle
339:as Harry
192:Language
112:Music by
65:Starring
939:Related
782:Despair
579:at the
333:as Anna
184:Country
160: (
149: (
128:company
923:(1977)
915:(1976)
907:(1974)
904:Martha
899:(1973)
891:(1972)
868:(1971)
860:(1970)
841:(1982)
833:(1982)
825:(1981)
817:(1981)
809:(1979)
801:(1979)
793:(1978)
785:(1978)
777:(1978)
769:(1976)
761:(1976)
753:(1975)
745:(1975)
737:(1975)
729:(1974)
721:(1974)
713:(1972)
705:(1971)
697:(1971)
689:(1971)
681:(1970)
673:(1970)
665:(1970)
657:(1969)
649:(1969)
521:
494:
467:
422:
393:German
264:Munich
246:Munich
219:German
200:Budget
195:German
888:]
686:Whity
638:Films
319:]
238:]
76:]
822:Lola
566:IMDb
519:ISBN
492:ISBN
465:ISBN
444:Film
420:ISBN
306:Cast
259:Plot
240:and
564:at
389:DVD
204:DEM
987::
886:de
541:.
442:.
317:de
236:de
221::
74:de
609:e
602:t
595:v
545:.
446:.
217:(
164:)
153:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
