Querelle

Directed by the legendary Rainer Werner Fassbinder, and released in 1982, Querelle is a bold and highly provocative exploration of sexuality and identity, based on the novel Querelle de Brest by controversial French author Jean Genet.

The story is centered around the title character, George Querelle, compellingly portrayed by Brad Davis. Querelle is an enigmatic individual, a sailor in the French navy, and a singular embodiment of rugged masculinity. He's handsome, muscular, and drenched in the sweat and grime associated with his physically demanding occupation. However, beneath this archetypical exterior, he's a complex character, as much defined by his intricate relationships as by his criminal exploits.

Upon docking at the port of Brest, Querelle's life takes a turn. The city's seedy underbelly, populated by thieves, hustlers, and prostitutes, turns out to be a catalytic milieu for Querelle's exploration of his own sexuality. He enters a surreal world, a veritable inferno of desire and betrayal, set against the backdrop of a slick, stylized, dimly lit underworld. It is here that Querelle's story unfolds, as he navigates through fraught liaisons, personal revelations, and escalating violence.

Supporting him in this journey are a host of evocative characters. Franco Nero portrays Lieutenant Seblon, a commanding officer obsessed with Querelle. His silent longing for the sailor adds layers of emotional complexity, and Nero plays him with a sympathetic dignity and just a touch of tragic desperation. Jeanne Moreau, a titan of European cinema, brings gravitas to her role as Lysiane, the owner of a brothel that Querelle frequents. The dynamics between Querelle, Seblon, Lysiane, and other characters, constitute the heart of the narrative.

The cinematography in Querelle is as bold as its plotline. Fassbinder and his team create a phantasmagoric world saturated with lurid colours, neon signs, and exaggerated shadows, adding an almost dreamlike quality to the proceedings. The narrative is interspersed with moments of visual lyricism, stylized tableaus that underscore the movie's thematic concerns.

Querelle serves more than just a spectacle or a narrative; it serves a conduit to explore themes of sexuality, identity and morality. Without expressing judgment, the film probes the grey areas of human actions and emotions, constructing narratives around characters that are neither entirely good nor completely evil, but both and neither. This moral ambiguity is mirrored in the atmosphere of the film, and effective use of music, the eeriness of which amplifies the story's intoxicating somnambulism.

Brad Davis's impeccable portrayal of Querelle is indeed the anchor that keeps this volatile world tethered. He successfully navigates the demands of a challenging role, oscilating between stoicism and emotional vulnerability, with an incandescent intensity that is impossible to ignore. Sharing the screen with skilled veterans like Moreau and Nero, Davis holds his own, delivering an arresting central performance in a film that refuses to be anything less than unforgettable.

However, what makes Querelle an essential viewing is Fassbinder's audacious directorial style. He doesn't shy away from depicting Genet's challenging themes, presenting scenes that push the cinematic boundaries of the time. His storytelling dabbles in the fantastical and operates on the level of provocative metaphor, valuing symbolic aesthetics and emotional resonance above the constraints of realism.

Querelle doesn't deliver easy answers. It takes abstract, complicated themes and refuses to 'dumb them down' for broader appeal. Its moral grayness, unorthodox execution, and complex symbolism might not appeal to everyone, but those willing to embrace its richness will find a challenging and rewarding cinematic spectacle. It stimulates thought, invites introspection, and forces viewers to confront their own assumptions and prejudices about the outermost boundaries of human behavior, love, and desire.

From small, intimate moments to grand visual tableaus, Querelle is a mesmerising whirlwind of passion, bristling with masculine energy, suffused with yearning, and, above all, achingly human. For the adventurous film enthusiast willing to brave its provocative depths, it offers a darkly beautiful exploration of desire, identity, and the complexities of the human heart. It remains a standout work in Fassbinder's esteemed filmography, and a testament to his daring approach to filmmaking.