Warnung vor einer Heiligen Nutte (Beware of a Holy Whore) (1971)

85% of critics liked it
(13 reviews)
60% of users liked it
(1,279 ratings)

This film by wunderkind Rainer Werner Fassbinder, his 10th, is one of the rare films about filmmaking which was said by the critics to have succeeded both technically and as drama. In it, a German film crew sits in their Italian hotel, waiting for the arrival of their director (Lou Castel), their… More This film by wunderkind Rainer Werner Fassbinder, his 10th, is one of the rare films about filmmaking which was said by the critics to have succeeded both technically and as drama. In it, a German film crew sits in their Italian hotel, waiting for the arrival of their director (Lou Castel), their star (Eddie Constantine) and more money. While they wait, argue, complain, and enter and leave romances, the delusions of a whole community of filmmakers are humorously unveiled. This film is said to be a scathing and satirical self-criticism by Fassbinder of his own methods and of his colleagues and entourage. ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 43 min.
Directed By: Rainer Werner Fassbinder
Written By: Rainer Werner Fassbinder
Genres: Drama, Art House & International, Comedy

In Theaters: Jan 1, 1971 Limited
On DVD: May 20, 2003
Studio: New Yorker Films

Critic Reviews

Vincent Canby, New York Times
Beware of a Holy Whore is the work of a very young, very gifted film maker.
Dave Kehr, Chicago Reader
[An] edgy, violent, impacted movie.
Nick Davis, Nick's Flick Picks
Beware of a Holy Whore is the film you would make if you spent the previous ten years on a steady diet of Godard and Warhol, with occasional afternoons cleared for Antonioni and every night reserved for hard drinking.
, TV Guide's Movie Guide
Interesting, but static and overlong.
Jeffrey M. Anderson, Combustible Celluloid
Fassbinder stacks the cast around the limited space with the mastery of a chess player, creating a strong sense of ennui, sexual frustration and creative stagnation.
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
Whore of a film.
Greg Muskewitz, eFilmCritic.com
...the film is frustratingly funny, unmistakably self-indulgent, but with the assurance that what R.W. is indulging himself in is something he's good at doing.
Ed Gonzalez, Slant Magazine
Beware of a Holy Whore is essentially Contempt by way of Andy Warhol's Factory.
Mark Robison, Reno Gazette-Journal
Whorendous.
Marjorie Baumgarten, Austin Chronicle
Beware of a Holy Whore is Rainer Werner Fassbinder's -- the Seventies' enfant terrible of foreign filmmaking -- quintessential film.

Read all 10 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Anthony L

Beware of a holy whore is life imitating art and a very self-indulgent parody from Fassbinder. It reminded me of Jean-Luc Godard's Passion (A film I didn't particularly enjoy - although Passion came later). Worth watching for Eddie Constantine's trade-mark scowl but… More
Beware of a holy whore is life imitating art and a very self-indulgent parody from Fassbinder. It reminded me of Jean-Luc Godard's Passion (A film I didn't particularly enjoy - although Passion came later). Worth watching for Eddie Constantine's trade-mark scowl but apart from that, a somewhat tiresome film from Fassbinder. 10 out of 10 for expressing his contempt and protesting against the system he loathed but he has executed the point much more efficiently in other films. We all have our bad days though eh!
Arash X

Fassbinder's (self-?)parody gets a bit monotonous after a while & feels forced & too obvious at times but overall the whole thing works somehow, Fassbinder & Castel are fun to watch
Walter M

[font=Century Gothic]In "Beware of a Holy Whore", a German film crew is staying in a Spanish hotel waiting for production to start. The star(Eddie Constantine) and director(Lou Castel) arrive but still there are problems like the checks bouncing, causing non-delivery of the… More
[font=Century Gothic]In "Beware of a Holy Whore", a German film crew is staying in a Spanish hotel waiting for production to start. The star(Eddie Constantine) and director(Lou Castel) arrive but still there are problems like the checks bouncing, causing non-delivery of the necessary materials.[/font] [font=Century Gothic][/font] [font=Century Gothic]With "Beware of a Holy Whore", Rainer Werner Fassbinder(he also stars) captures perfectly the chaos and energy of a set on a low budget film, especially one in a foreign country. The problem is that there are too many personal conflicts to count, and the whole scenario is decidedly unfocused with too many people screaming at one another.[/font]