The Marriage of Maria Braun
The Marriage of Maria Braun () is a 1978 West German drama film directed by Rainer Werner Fassbinder. The film stars Hanna Schygulla as Maria, whose marriage to the soldier Hermann remains unfulfilled due to World War II and his post-war imprisonment. Maria adapts to the realities of post-war Germany and becomes the wealthy mistress of an industrialist, all the while staying true to her love for Hermann. The Marriage of Maria Braun was one of the more successful works of Fassbinder and shaped the image of the New German Cinema in foreign countries. It has also been acclaimed by critics as Fassbinder’s crowning achievement. It is the first installment of Fassbinder's BRD Trilogy, followed by Lola (1981) and Veronika Voss (1982). Plot During an Allied bombing raid in 1943, Maria Berger and Hermann Braun marry. The next day, Hermann returns to the Eastern front. At war's end, Maria is told that Hermann died. To support herself, her mother and grandfather, Maria works as a prostitute in an underground bar that allows only Allied soldiers as patrons. She begins a relationship with African-American soldier Bill, who supports her and her family. Although she refuses to marry Bill because of her