Focus on R.W. FASSBINDER II: The Stationmaster's Wife (1977)

I'm prejudiced when it comes to re-edits. Even those carried out by the original work's director. If I'm forewarned, I always feel I'm missing out on something. And so I struggle with every disjointed narrative leap.

Unfortunately, the only version of The Stationmaster's Wife I have been able to get my hands on is Fassbinder's two hour cinema edit. I feel the missing hour and a half of sub-plots and complexity.

There's still a lot to enjoy here though. Ballhaus is still in full flight. Fassbinder's eye for visual drama is still more than evident. The performances from Kurt Raab and newcomers Elisabeth Trissenaar and Udo Kier are all superb. The plot, which sees the titular stationmaster's wife play the field whilst her stationmaster husband turns a self-deluding blind eye, provides a thematic consistency with Fassbinder's wider oeuvre.

I just can't shake the feeling that everyone and everything involved in this had more to give - and has already given it. I just can't get my hands on it.

Next up: Germany in Autumn...

This post contributes to Director Focus: Rainer Werner Fassbinder II.