Martha

Martha

1974 · 116 min · DE · 7.1 (52 votes)
Dir. Rainer Werner Fassbinder · Starring Margit Carstensen, Karlheinz Böhm, Barbara Valentin, Peter Chatel, Gisela Fackeldey, Adrian Hoven

A bond marked by fear!

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After the death of her abusive father, lonely librarian Martha is caught in a strange, sadomasochistic relationship with a monstrous husband whom she begins to suspect may be trying to murder her.

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A suffocating descent into a toxic marriage, this film feels like a slow, creeping dread. It's a disturbing character study of a woman trapped, exploring the psychological toll of neglect and control with an unsettling, almost dreamlike quality.

oppressiveclaustrophobicunsettlingdisturbingmelancholicslow-burnpsychological thrillerarthouseperiod dramaabusegaslightingfemale agencydomestic horror
▶ Stream on Criterion Channel
husband wife relationshipneglect of one's spousemarriagesexismsadomasochismwheelchair userspanish steps
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