A film that breaks my heart (and I laugh at KING LEAR).
ALL THAT HEAVEN ALLOWS. Fassbinder used the destruction of a television set as a visual link between the two. Fassbinder knew Sirk and even persuaded to direct three short films with students. Sirk loved fassbinder and his work.
Todd Haynes made a third version with FAR FROM HEAVEN.
The actor who played Ali was Fassbinder's recently dumped lover. He later committed suicide in prison (two of Fassbinders lovers killed themselves -- all three appear in his films).
Fassbinder had to walk him through the entire performance, intonation, gestures, the works.
Fassbinder only found out about his suicide a few years afterward during the filming of QUERELLE. Fassbinder dedicated the picture to him, and then died just as post-production was completed.
Brian