A simple, sweet love story between a 60 year-old German widow and a working-class Moroccan half her age forms the basis of 1974's Ali: Fear Eats the Soul, arguably the most popular film from German provocateur Rainer Werner Fassbinder (1945-1982). The prolific Fassbinder quickly directed this in between two bigger films as a way to pay homage to one of his favorite films, Douglas Sirk's 1955 melodrama All That Heaven Allows. Fassbinder used the story to comment on the hang-ups of then-current German society, yet its authenticity and pure, genuine acting give the movie a timeless quality.

Ali begins in a rain-drenched city, as cleaning lady Emmi Kurowski (a subtle performance by Austrian actress Brigitte Mira) takes shelter in a Middle Eastern dive bar. Amid withering stares from the bar's patrons, Emmi quietly orders a cola while a tall, striking young man approaches her. Ali (El Hedi ben Salem) initially seeks out Emmi as a dance partner, but as the night goes on the two strike up an unlikely friendship. Emmi's faith in basic human decency are a source of comfort for the immigrant Ali, while Ali's guileless honesty strikes a distinct contrast with Emmi's uptight neighbors and family. In a bold move, Emmi invites Ali to her apartment and the two become lovers. By the next morning, Ali and Emmi have declared their love for each other. The two eventually marry, toughing it out despite the constant disapproval and stares from friends and strangers alike. Ostracized by friends and co-workers, shunned by Emmi's adult children, the two soldier on and eventually find some allies, softening some attitudes towards their interracial, inter-generational marriage.

In taking on All That Heaven Allows, Fassbinder wasn't so much paying tribute to Douglas Sirk (although there are a lot of Sirk-ish touches going on) as putting a spin on a durable story in his own distinct way. His attitude toward a Germany still dealing with the repercussions of Fascism is epitomized in the character of Emmi, radiating decency and trustworthiness yet also full of quirks (like her unseemly fascination with Adolph Hitler). As it's portrayed here, the Germans' contemptuous treatment of Middle Eastern immigrants like Ali seems peculiar to the '70s, yet it's strangely timeless as well (witness certain Americans' current aversion toward Mexican immigrants). One of his main points is that, despite appearances to the contrary, everyone has some innate prejudice. It's demonstrated especially well further on in the marriage, when Emmi starts treating Ali in a patronizing way (c'mon, all he wanted was a little couscous). Not realizing her own racism, Emmi's putdowns send Ali into the arms of the proprietress of the Middle Eastern bar (played by Barbara Valentin, also excellent). Where Douglas Sirk treated his soapy stories with a touch of contempt, Fassbinder's belief in the characters' integrity actually made him the more optimistic of the two.

Where Douglas Sirk exquisitely played with camera angles, lighting setups, and reflections to make a subversive commentary on the story, in Ali Fassbinder goes to great lengths to visually express the characters' self-containment. When people aren't shown in a meticulous still-life tableau, blankly staring into space for an eternity, they appear framed by doorways, in the slats of stair bannisters, cropped inside window frames. Emmi's busybody landlady is introduced peering out from behind a fancy metal lattice - literally and figuratively boxed-in. Fassbinder also does some interesting stuff with colors and patterns (most vividly with the despondent scene of Emmi and Ali placed in a sea of yellow chairs), although the intended message is a little less overt. At a time when Germany appeared to be a hodgepodge of old and new, Fassbinder was using projects like Ali to point out society's inherent flaws in the hopes that we can learn and move forward.

Ali: Fear Eats the Soul kicked off a heady period for Fassbinder, who continued writing and directing interesting, layered melodramas such as Fox and His Friends (1975), Fear of Fear (1975), and Chinese Roulette (1976). It should be noted that Brigitte Mira and other Fassbinder regulars appear in these, as well. Although not yet available domestically on DVD (making for a nice Eclipse set, right?), Criterion offers a handful to view on their Hulu Plus streaming channel.