Bremer Freiheit: Frau Geesche Gottfried - Ein bürgerliches Trauerspiel

Gesche Gottfried (1785-1831) was a serial killer from Bremen (Northern Germany). However, in the very personal interpretation of R.W. Fassbinder, she becomes, as already the title "Bremer Freiheit" of the filmed theater piece suggests, an ancestor of the liberation movement of women, of feminism and self-decision in sexual liberality and thus also the prototype of such women types in Fassbinder's universe as Maria Braun, Lola, Karin Thimm (in: The Bitter Tears of Petra Von Kant), Imrgard Epp (in: The Merchant of the Four Seasons) and Hannerl Bolwieser (in: The Stationmaster's Wife). It is not clear to me why "Bremer Freiheit" (1972) - similar to "Das Kaffehaus" (1970), Nora Helmer (1973) and many other theater plays of R.W. Fassbinder (including his documentary study "Theater in Trance (1981)) are neither broadcast by TV nor put on DVD. It is not known to a broad public that Fassbinder did not only up to 10 movies per year, but also put dozens of plays onto stage and was a theater intendant, too. His theater movies are crucial for his film-work and support the understanding of many hitherto unclear motives and strategies in Fassbinders movies, especially concerning the role of women in his work.

This one is amazing. It is a play enacted for the camera. But the way it uses the tricks available for television at the time it was made is awesome. Maybe this guy did not invent this. Maybe this movie does not take the technology to the extremes of its formal use. It does not matter. The story is great, and it is told with such edge, it will stay with the viewer.

I would very much find Bremer Freiheit. Some of IMDB users had obviously seen it. If you have any information about the way to watch it, I would be very gratefull. This movie is actually not available in France.

Thanks a lot for your answers...

This is my most favourite Fassbinder's film to date (I might change my mind in the future as I have seen only 15 films of his.) The movie is represented in the form of a stage play,and this style works very effectively for me. I was stunned when I saw it. It is so raw, yet so moving. It is so minimal, yet so intense. The thing that impressed me the most is the song that Geesche sang repeatedly. For the first time she sang it, I just thought her voice expressed a strong emotion very well. But for the latter times she sang it, it becomes heart-rending. It breaks my heart and makes me want to cry. Her grief was not only expressed, but also instilled into my heart. No matter how brutal or cruel she was, I feel it's hard to hate her. One can understand her reason for killing very well.The opening shot that focuses on her moving feet impressed me a lot. And it never gets dull after that. The tension is maintained very well throughout the movie. The backdrop of the stage enhances my feelings and emotions to the utmost degree. Sometimes the backdrop is a view of the landscape, sometimes it is an enlarged image of her face. But it strikes me every time. It elevates this movie to the highest position. The acting is, of course, top-notch. Margit Carstensen does not only make her character come alive, but she also brings the heart of Geesche inside out. The props on the stage is very sparse, but very appropriately placed. A lot of scenes in this movie were shot from a meaningful angle--the angle that add an important meaning to its own scene. I can see that many shots were very carefully constructed. No big budget is required to make this kind of excellent movies. I feel this movie really stands out from other films of Fassbinder. Not only that its style is different, but its power, its intensity, and its haunting quality also make this movie transcend all. I think if I have another chance to hear that song again, I might not be able to control my tears any more.