Although the sailor Querelle (Brad Davis) is strong, he is also an outcast. The crimes he commits free him, and this freedom gives him power. The sailors on the naval destroyer submit themselves to Querelle’s gradual transformation and give in to his will. The story of Querelle Brest takes place during the sailors’ shore leave from their ship “Vengeur” in Brest. Among them is also Querelle who goes to “Feria,” the brothel near the harbor, to settle an opium deal with Nono (Günther Kaufmann), husband of the owner, Madame Lysiane (Jeanne Moreau). This is also where he meets his brother Robert (Hanno Pöschl), Lysiane’s lover, and he encounters the rich policeman Mario (Burkhard Driest). Mario’s charismatic strength and power throw Querelle off and he decides not to share the loot from the opium deal with his accomplice Vic (Dieter Schidor). His crowning unlawfulness of this unlawful business is the cold-blooded murder of Vic. In order to atone for his murder, Querelle gives himself to another man for the first time. It is the bordello’s co-owner Nono. Afterward, Querelle exudes his regular confidence and manliness which enslaves all people he meets: the brothel owner Lysiane, the policeman Mario, his superior, Lieutenant Seblon (Franco Nero), as well as the bricklayer Gil (Hanno Pöschl). The latter killed his colleague, the site foreman Theo (Neil Bell), with a broken wine bottle. With Gil, Querelle finds, for the first time, a brother among his friends, someone like himself, to whom he is connected thanks to a murder. In order to keep this one friend, the only man Querelle loves passionately, he betrays him to the police, sacrifices him in order to make him immortal. But Lieutenant Seblon – although he falls madly in love with Querelle, he conceals his affection rather than pay a painful price – finally manages to win Querelle as his friend. Seblon’s selfless love wins Querelle, makes him soft and accommodating. In the arms of Seblon, he departs from Brest, he leaves his friends and gives himself up to the ship’s questionable security.

director: Rainer Werner Fassbinder
composer: Peer Raben
With: Brad Davis (Querelle) Franco Nero (Leutnant Seblon) Jeanne Moreau (Lysiane) Laurent Malet (Roger) Hanno Pöschl (Robert/Gil) Günther Kaufmann (Nono) Burkhard Driest (Polizist Mario) Dieter Schidor (Vic), a.o.
Credits
director: Rainer Werner Fassbindercomposer: Peer Raben
More info
Country: Germany - Franceyear: 1982
Filmography
RAINER WERNER FASSBINDER (1945-1982): This Night (short, 1965), Der Stadtstreicher (short, 1965), Das kleine Chaos (short, 1967), Liebe ist kälter als der Tod (1969), Götter der Pest (1969), Katzelmacher (1969), Warum läuft Herr R. Amok? (1969), Rio das Mortes (TV, 1970), Das Kaffeehaus (TV, 1970), Whity (1970), Die Niklashauser Fart (TV, 1970), Der amerikanische Soldat (1970), Warnung vor einer heiligen Nutte (1970), Pioniere in Ingolstadt (TV, 1970), Händler der vier Jahreszeiten (1971), Die bitteren Tränen… Show more
Technical Specs
Other festival films by director Rainer Werner Fassbinder
2017:Acht Stunden sind kein Tag2020:Deutschland im Herbst
2020:Die dritte Generation
2002:Der Händler der Vier Jahrzeiten
2002:Die Bitteren Tränen der Petra von Kant
2002:Die Ehe der Maria Braun
2002:Liebe ist kälter als der Tod
2002:Warnung vor einer heiligen Nutte
1998:Der Händler der 4 Jahreszeiten
1997:Querelle
1993:Die Ehe der Maria Braun
1989:Faustrecht der Freiheit
1982:Bolwieser
1982:Bremer Freiheit
1982:Die Dritte Generation
1982:Ich will doch nur, daß ihr mich liebt
1980:Ehe der maria braun, die
1979:Despair (Eine Reise ins Licht)
1979:Deutschland im herbst
1978:Mutter Kuster fährt zum Himmel
1977:Satansbraten
1976:Faustrecht der freiheit
1974:Der Händler der 4 jahreszeiten