Ali: Fear Eats the Soul

Not strictly a remake of All That Heaven Allows, although I admire it just as much.  Fassbinder borrows from Sirk’s film (anyone who has seen both would immediately see the similarities), but makes it clearly his own.  He boils it down a pure essence… as a result, this unconventional romance is as genuine and touching as any other on film.  Much of the credit here belongs to Brigitte Mira and El Hedi ben Salem, who create such sympathetic characters.  The handling of racial issues is perhaps simplistic, and yet that contributes to the film’s power, the message of hope in the face of adversity.  Also some wonderful cinematography, with vivid colors and striking use of space and frames.  I’m glad I found a Fassbinder film that I could truly love.  Rating: 9

IMDb