MovieChat Forums > Der amerikanische Soldat (1971) Discussion > The Ending - SPOILERS

The Ending - SPOILERS

posted 17 years ago by Cass1us
6 replies | jump to latest

This for me is one of Fassbinder's best films but the ending is especially brilliant. Fassbinder really showed how brave a director he was and the last shot is so unflinching and strange that I can't think of many others who would dare to let a scene like that run on for so long. And the music (So Much Tenderness by Günther Kaufmann and absolutely perfect for the scene) just keeps on going and going, continuing right when you think it's going to end.

Watching the two men almost wrestle obviously has homoerotic undertones but it also shows human desperation in the face of death. Though he has been killed, his brother tries to shake him to life. It is difficult to tell which of them is alive and which is dead while their mother in black (and prophetically dressed for a funeral) stands motionless over them like some kind of ghost. One of the most haunting final scenes I've ever seen.

[–] mewvie 16 years ago

Seems to me you may have over thought the ending, should have stopped at homoerotic! All that was missing from that scene was a coke ad

[–] logan03 16 years ago

Interesting that you thought so, as I found it to be bordering on being totally ludicrous. I've seen real-life displays of out of control grief that were painful and unsettling to watch, but I've never seen anyone roll around all over the floor with a dead person the way this character did. The fact that it was purposely done in slow motion made it even more bizarre. Sorry, but I saw nothing brilliant about it.

[–] 16 years ago

[deleted]

[–] phrumpster 14 years ago

Lacherlich as all *beep* ! Attaguy, Kurt! The scene where Kurt crushed his glass
in his hand was a hoot, also.

Poets are made by fools like me, but only God can make STD.

[–] Tin_ear 9 years ago

I thought it might have been legitimately homoerotic, as if they were stepbrothers and not technically blood relatives. The movie was so inexplicable at times and over the top at others it makes about as much sense.

[–] adamwarlock 8 years ago

The confrontation between Rick and Franz and the crooked cops made me think this film was finally going to deliver. Then that OTT nonsense happened. We only had one scene with Mom & the brother before, what the heck is up with them? The younger brother is in love with him? The Mom is connected? Slightly better than his previous 2 gangster films but still not to my liking.

For reasons unknown....I resume....