Querelle

Querelle

Year: 1982

Runtime: 109 mins

Language: English

Director: Rainer Werner Fassbinder

DramaFantasyThrillers and murder mysteriesSurreal and thought-provoking visions of life and deathDreamlike quirky and surreal storytelling

The film plunges the viewer into a surreal, intensely erotic world, pushing boundaries of desire. A striking Belgian sailor on shore leave in Brest, secretly a drug smuggler and murderer, embarks on a violent, charged journey of homosexual self‑discovery that irrevocably transforms the man he once was.

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Timeline & Setting – Querelle (1982)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Querelle (1982). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

1940s

The action unfolds in the World War II era, when Brest's docks bustle with ships, smugglers, and military tension. The period's gray streets provide a backdrop for opium deals, corrupt police, and clandestine romances among sailors. Loyalty, violence, and desire collide in a port town shaped by war and occupation.

Location

Brest, France

Brest is a major Atlantic port city in Brittany, France, known for its busy harbor and strong naval presence. In the film, La Feria sits in the port quarter as a bar and brothel catering to sailors, run by Madame Lysiane with the help of her husband Nono and associates like Mario. The visiting ship Le Vengeur anchors here, anchoring the sailors' private lives to the town's underworld.

🗺️ Port city ⚓ Naval hub 🎭 Red-light district

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 12:48

Main Characters – Querelle (1982)

Meet the key characters of Querelle (1982), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Lysiane (Jeanne Moreau)

Owner of La Feria, Lysiane runs the bar and brothel that serves the sailors' needs and secrets. She maintains control through alliances with Nono and the underworld, while harboring a private romance with Robert. Her world begins to crack as Querelle's schemes intersect with her own ambitions and heartbreak.

💃 Bar operator 🕵️ Power broker 💔 Complex relationships

Georges Querelle (Brad Davis)

A Belgian sailor who navigates crime, desire, and manipulation. He murders Vic Rivette to secure drugs, deliberately loses a dice game to sleep with Lysiane, and then falls for Gil, while orchestrating plans that betray those around him. His charm masks a ruthless, calculating nature, and his bond with Gil complicates loyalties.

🗡️ Anti-hero 💼 Criminal mastermind 🧭 Charismatic lead

Gil (Hanno Pöschl)

A shipbuilder who murders his coworker Theo after being harassed, and who becomes the object of Querelle's affection. Gil's vulnerability and quiet resolve contrast with the violence around him, and Querelle's desire to protect him clashes with the law.

⚒️ Worker 💘 Forbidden love 🔒 Secret

Robert

Lysiane's lover and Querelle's brother in the film's web of relationships. The two brothers share a complicated bond that is tested by conflict, deceit, and the truth that they may not actually be brothers.

💑 Forbidden love 🧩 Family mystery ❓ Ambiguous kinship

Vic Rivette

An accomplice who collaborates with Querelle in drug dealings and who is murdered by Querelle during the course of the plan. Vic's fate highlights the film's themes of loyalty and betrayal.

🔪 Murder victim 🕵️‍♂️ Criminal ties ⚖️ Corrupt system

Nono

Lysiane's husband, who works behind the bar and oversees La Feria's illicit affairs with Mario's help. He wields a privileged role in the sexual and criminal economy of the port and is a central facilitator of the underworld.

🕴️ Bar manager 🔒 Gatekeeper of illicit affairs 🗺️ Plot facilitator

Mario

The corrupt police captain who assists in the illicit operations surrounding La Feria. He embodies the confluence of law and crime in this port town.

👮 Corrupt official 🗝️ Power broker 🧩 Complicity

Theo

Theo is a fellow worker on the ship who harassed and sexually assaulted Gil, provoking Gil to murder him. Theo's presence underscores the volatile power dynamics and the violence that erupts from harassment and fear.

🧱 Workmate 💥 Tragic confrontation 🗡️ Murder trigger

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 12:48

Major Themes – Querelle (1982)

Explore the central themes of Querelle (1982), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

💪 Power & Masculinity

Masculine identity is performed through dominance, strength, and control. Characters test their prowess through threats, fights, and sexual games, while authority figures navigate desire and vulnerability. Lieutenant Seblon's attempts to prove himself to Querelle illustrate the precarious balance of power and attraction in a shipboard port society.

💔 Love & Betrayal

The film centers on secret loves and shifting loyalties that drive the plot. Querelle's entanglements with Gil and Lysiane, and the revelation of true kinship, accumulate betrayals that destabilize relationships. The story culminates in a tarot-reading twist that unsettles the idea of brotherhood and familial trust.

🔥 Desire & Manipulation

Desire operates as a currency that buys access to people and power. The opium deal, the dice game with Nono, and the brothel's operations show how sexual appetite can be weaponized and used to control others. The narrative uses erotic tension to critique moral authority within a corrupt maritime underworld.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 12:48

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Querelle Summary

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Querelle Summary

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Querelle (1982) Plot Summary & Movie Recap

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