Ali: Fear Eats the Soul

Emmi Kurowski, a cleaning lady, is lonely in her old age. Her husband died years ago, and her grown children offer little companionship. One night she goes to a bar frequented by Arab immigrants and strikes up a friendship with middle-aged mechanic Ali. Their relationship soon develops into something more, and Emmi's family and neighbors criticize their spontaneous marriage. Soon Emmi and Ali are forced to confront their own insecurities about their future.

Cast

Brigitte Mira

as Emmi Kurowski

El Hedi ben Salem

as Ali

Irm Hermann

as Krista

Barbara Valentin

as Barbara

Elma Karlowa

as Mrs. Kargus

Anita Bucher

as Mrs. Ellis

Gusti Kreissl

as Paula

Doris Mattes

as Mrs. Angermayer

Margit Symo

as Hedwig

Katharina Herberg

as Bardame

Reviews

CRCulver

The original title of Rainer Werner Fassbinder's 1974 film "Fear Eats the Soul" is deliberately ungrammatical German: ANGST ESSEN SEELE AUF "Fear Eat Soul". That is due to one of the two protagonists we meet: Ali (El Hedi ben Salem) is a Moroccan immigrant working in Munich. He toils as a car repair...

CinemaSerf

Does anyone remember when Channel 4 (in the UK) had their Friday night red triangle zone of late night adult films that would probably have been X-certificate but that were available free-to-air? I think this is probably the only one of those I still recall as it memorably challenges just about ever...

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