The Marriage of Maria Braun

The Marriage of Maria Braun (German: Die Ehe der Maria Braun) is a 1979 West German drama film directed by Rainer Werner Fassbinder. The film stars Hanna Schygulla as Maria, who marries German soldier Hermann Braun during World War II. The couple spend over a decade apart due to forces largely beyond Maria's control. To survive in postwar Germany, Maria becomes a sex worker, a wealthy industrialist's mistress, and eventually a ruthless capitalist during the German economic miracle, while still asserting her loyalty to Hermann. The Marriage of Maria Braun was one of Fassbinder's more successful works and shaped the image of the New German Cinema. It has also been acclaimed by many critics as one of Fassbinder's most profound films. It is the first installment of his BRD Trilogy, followed by Lola (1981) and Veronika Voss (1982).