Theodor Fontane published his poetic realist novel Effi Briest in 1896. The classic text captured the attention of German film director Rainer Werner Fassbinder who adapted it for the screen in 1974. The book took a close look at marriage, femininity and social class in the late 1800’s and anyone who is familiar with Fassbinder’s work will instantly recognise why the director chose to adapt this particular novel. The themes of love and strife are constantly referred in the directors feature films, plays and television shows. Fassbinder’s Effie Briest is screening as part of a season of movies at the Edinburgh Filmhouse and showcases the auteur at his cinematic best.

The story of Effie Briest is familiar, but somewhat complicated. Seventeen-year-old Effie Briest (played by regular Fassbinder collaborator Hanna Schygulla) marries the much older Baron Van Instetten (Wolfgang Schenck). The couple move to a secluded house in the country that Effie believes is haunted. While her husband is away on business, Effie finds companionship with Major Crampas (Ulli Lommel), a man closer to her age. Van Instetten and his young wife eventually move to Berlin, where Instetten discovers letters addressed to Effie from Crampus. This leads to a confrontation that causes Effie more terror and dismay than the anxiety triggered by the haunted house.

The movie is incredibly stylish and shot in black and white, where the contrast in colours assist in articulating the trauma and splendour of the main character.  When Effie is at her worst she is filmed in in dark and understated tones. She is filmed behind lace curtains, obscured by furniture and reflected in mirrors. This creates a distance between the viewer and the character and underlines her isolation and suffering. At other times her youth and beauty is highlighted with sparkling and luxurious tones. Here we see the opulence of youth and it is this that many of the characters in this movie desire.

Effie Briest is a long and dense film. The story is labouredly pushed forward by paragraphs of text that appear in-between scenes. These intertitles are supplemented by a monotone voice-over that explains gaps in the plot. The novel itself is not epic in length, but it is epic in story and narrative and Fassbinder possibly tried to pack too much of this into his adaptation.

The Fassbinder season continues at the Filmhouse with screenings of Fox and His Friends, The Marriage of Maria Braun and Despair. The final three movies in this season express the range of his work and showcases why his films are still fascinating and captivating audiences.