It's a gloomy drama set in early 1950s Munich, Germany. It follows a depressed alcoholic street vendor and his relationships with his wife, daughter, and family of birth.
Initially, Hans Epp (Hans Hirschmüller) was a policeman dismissed for accepting favors from a prostitute. Then, he served in the French Foreign Legion for several years, during which he experienced a life-altering crisis. After he returned to Munich, he became a fruit vendor from a street cart. This lowly job disgusts the rest of his family, including his mother (Gusti Kreissl) and sisters. One sister (Heide Simon) is married to a newspaper publisher (Kurt Raab), and the other is a professional translator (Hanna Schygulla).
Hans is married to Irmgard (Irm Hermann), and they have a daughter, Renate (Andrea Schober). However, Hans and Irmgard's relationship is tenuous because Hans' first love (Ingrid Caven) could not marry him because of his lowly work situation. The film follows Hans from drunken misbehavior, through a physical crisis, to a long siege of depression that no one near him can help ameliorate.
"The Merchant of Four Seasons" is a bleak film, as one might expect from Fassbinder. This movie is his first commercial success. Some of the acting seems subprime, but the storyline is compelling. Hans' actions as his depression increases seem realistic.
Initially, Hans Epp (Hans Hirschmüller) was a policeman dismissed for accepting favors from a prostitute. Then, he served in the French Foreign Legion for several years, during which he experienced a life-altering crisis. After he returned to Munich, he became a fruit vendor from a street cart. This lowly job disgusts the rest of his family, including his mother (Gusti Kreissl) and sisters. One sister (Heide Simon) is married to a newspaper publisher (Kurt Raab), and the other is a professional translator (Hanna Schygulla).
Hans is married to Irmgard (Irm Hermann), and they have a daughter, Renate (Andrea Schober). However, Hans and Irmgard's relationship is tenuous because Hans' first love (Ingrid Caven) could not marry him because of his lowly work situation. The film follows Hans from drunken misbehavior, through a physical crisis, to a long siege of depression that no one near him can help ameliorate.
"The Merchant of Four Seasons" is a bleak film, as one might expect from Fassbinder. This movie is his first commercial success. Some of the acting seems subprime, but the storyline is compelling. Hans' actions as his depression increases seem realistic.