Chinese Roulette (Chinesisches Roulette)
Directed by Ranier Werner Fassbinder
Written by Ranier Werner Fassbinder
West Germany/1976
IMDb page
First viewing/Criterion Channel
“When you begin a journey of revenge, start by digging two graves: one for your enemy, and one for yourself.” ― Jodi Picoult
Fassbinder’s tale of infidelity and revenge is watchable but not on a par with his best work.
Ariane (Margit Carstensen) and Gerhard Christ are a wealthy couple with a crippled young teenage daughter named Angela, who is far from an angel. Each tells the other they are going out of town for the weekend. In reality, both intend to visit the Christ’s country mansion for some hanky panky with their lovers Irene Cartis (Anna Karina) and Kolbe (Ulli Lommel). The mansion is tended to by the hard-as-nails cook Kast (Brigitte Mira) and her handyman son Gabriel Kast (Volker Spengler). The awkward meeting of the illicit pairs occurs on their arrival. But these are sophisticates who remain blasé about the whole thing.
When Angela learns of the plan she immediately gathers up all her dolls and sets out for the mansion herself accompanied by her mute governess Traunitz (Macha Meril). She believes her parents’ infidelity started when she became crippled and has little use for either one of them. Angela tries and fails to seduce Gabriel and Gabriel fails to get Traunitz to agree to resumption of their previous tryst.
Angela suggests a game of Chinese Roulette after dinner. The guests and staff are divided into teams. One team agrees on a person from the other team. The other team needs to figure out who this is by asking questions such as “If the person were an animal, which animal would the person be?” The questions and answers get increasingly probing and hurtful. The evening does not end well.
I like Fassbinder and I liked this movie. This is definitely not where I would start if recommending one of the director’s works though.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZ4MoMvLt1c
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