Beware of a Holy Whore

Beware of a Holy Whore

Year: 1971

Runtime: 103 mins

Language: German

ComedyDrama

Tensions between members of a film crew build while they wait for the arrival of the director and star to arrive on location.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline – Beware of a Holy Whore (1971)

Trace every key event in Beware of a Holy Whore (1971) with our detailed, chronological timeline. Perfect for unpacking nonlinear stories, spotting hidden connections, and understanding how each scene builds toward the film’s climax. Whether you're revisiting or decoding for the first time, this timeline gives you the full picture.

1

Opening soliloquy introducing themes and premise

The film opens with a soliloquy delivered by Werner Schroeter that outlines the film's twisted premise by referencing a Disney tale about Goofy. The speaker hints at violence, self-blindness, and homoerotic undertones as a recurring motif. This prologue sets up the mood and foregrounds the meta-textual approach of the story.

2

Goofy cross-dresses to teach a kindergarten class

Goofy dresses in his aunt's clothes to teach a kindergarten class. He is ridiculed by the children, which foreshadows the perils of his vulnerability in the story. The scene frames the character's exposure to judgment and sets up the later plot twist.

Kindergarten classroom
3

Goofy takes in the poor orphan girl who is actually Wee Willy

After the ridicule, Goofy brings in a 'poor orphan girl' into his home. The girl is in fact Wee Willy, a dwarf gangster disguising himself in the clothes Goofy discarded. He manipulates Goofy into caring for him, exploiting Goofy's trust.

Goofy's home
4

Wee Willy's true identity is revealed during a police raid

That night, Goofy's house is raided by police and Wee Willy is arrested. The raid reveals the 'orphan girl' actually to be a criminal in disguise, shocking Goofy. The scene underscores themes of deception and vulnerability.

Goofy's home
5

Goofy's reaction to the revelation

Upon the revelation of Wee Willy's true identity, Goofy utters a stunned line about the shock the 'poor little girl' experienced turning into a crook. The moment highlights the film's self-blindness and irony. The emotional aftermath foreshadows the violence he endures.

6

Goofy is beaten for his acts of care

Throughout both episodes, Goofy is beaten by those for whom he acts kindly—the kindergarten children and Wee Willy's associates. The violence underscores the motif that care can attract hostility from the very people one hopes to help. The sequence foreshadows the film's broader exploration of vulnerability.

7

Shift to the coastal hotel in Spain

The action moves to a coastal hotel in Spain where the cast of the meta-film 'Patria O Muerte' wait for production money and for the arrival of the director Lou Castel and star Eddie Constantine. The setting introduces a claustrophobic, backstage atmosphere where tensions simmer.

Coastal hotel, Spain
8

Cast engages in sexual intrigues and power plays

While waiting, the cast indulges in sexual intrigues spanning same-sex and opposite-sex dynamics as well as slander and power struggles. The interactions reveal competing ambitions and erosions of trust within the group. The scene sets the stage for how personal desires intersect with professional power.

Coastal hotel, Spain
9

Director Lou Castel arrives by helicopter and asserts control

Lou Castel arrives by helicopter, inserting himself into the already volatile dynamics. He enforces a draconian regime, pressing his authority over the cast and crew. The arrival marks a turning point that intensifies conflict.

Coastal hotel, Spain
10

Cast and crew confront the director's authority

The director's autocratic presence ignites clashes, intensifying the mercurial mood on set. Relationships fray as demands and power plays escalate. The dynamic mirrors the film's meta-theme of a group failing to function together.

Coastal hotel, Spain
11

The production descends into mayhem and vicissitude

With the director's grip tightening, the production devolves into mayhem and constant change. The crew struggles with conflicting aims and shifting loyalties as the shoot limps forward. The film uses these scenes to critique collaboration under pressure.

Coastal hotel, Spain
12

Fassbinder's meta-commentary on group dynamics

Fassbinder described the production as a film about why living and working together as a group doesn’t function, even with people who want it to and for whom the group is life itself. The comment frames the entire behind-the-scenes chaos as a meditation on collaboration and failure.

Last Updated: October 05, 2025 at 11:12

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Characters, Settings & Themes in Beware of a Holy Whore

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