Rainer Werner Fassbinder was a filmmaker I was always curious about and his filmography lay there waiting for me to experience. I picked Fox And His Friends (1975; Faustrecht der Freiheit) as the first of his films to watch, mainly because I thought it was interesting that he also played the lead, the title role, and he looked cool in that pale blue jacket (or the leather one). Fassbinder is Franz aka Fox, a young gay man who works at a carnival, his tent is closed down for the criminal enterprises of his boss. Without a job, Fox has only one thing on his mind – buying a lotto ticket! When Fox wins big, he finds himself in wealthier circles thanks to an older distinguished gentleman (Karlheinz Bohm from Peeping Tom) he picks up. The film is a contemporary drama about class issues in Germany, delivered with a biting sting. A trusting sap in want of love, Fox seduces the well-heeled son of wealthy factory owners, Eugen (Peter Chatel), but Fox is then slowly taken advantage of by the rich people around him, berated by their refined taste and privilege. Once you see the angles of the con that Fox is framed in, the narrative repeats the same dance as he gives and gives while receiving nothing in return. It’s a sad, upsetting experience that is only alleviated by the idea that there’s a masochistic element to this mistreatment, apparently a common theme in Fassbinder’s films. This is also the first of the bisexual director’s films to focus on gay men and contains casual nudity (including of the director himself). There are beautiful moments in its framing (cinematography by the great Michael Ballhaus), costuming and set design as well as the performances. You can’t beat Fox sitting despondently in a sports car listening to Leonard Cohen’s ‘Bird On A Wire’ on the stereo for an ultimate depressing vibe. Recommended.
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