Ali: Fear Eats the Soul (1974): cast, story & where to watch
1974 · Film · ★ 7.7
Released in 1974, Ali: Fear Eats the Soul is a drama and romance film directed by Rainer Werner Fassbinder, running about 93 minutes.
What it’s about. Emmi Kurowski, a cleaning lady, is lonely in her old age. Her husband died years ago, and her grown children offer little companionship. One night she goes to a bar frequented by Arab immigrants and strikes up a friendship with middle-aged mechanic Ali. Their relationship soon develops into something more, and Emmi's family and neighbors criticize their spontaneous marriage. Soon Emmi and Ali are forced to confront their own insecurities about their future.
Who’s in it. Ali: Fear Eats the Soul stars Brigitte Mira as Emmi Kurowski, El Hedi ben Salem as Ali, Barbara Valentin as Barbara and Irm Hermann as Krista, among others.
How it landed. With an audience score of 7.7/10, Ali: Fear Eats the Soul has been warmly received by audiences.
Where to watch. In US you can stream it on HBO Max Amazon Channel, YouTube TV, Criterion Channel and HBO Max and rent or buy it from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store and Fandango At Home. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Ali: Fear Eats the Soul page.
If you liked it. Fans of Ali: Fear Eats the Soul tend to enjoy The Shawshank Redemption, The Godfather, Schindler's List and The Godfather Part II.
Frequently asked
- Where can I watch Ali: Fear Eats the Soul (1974)?
- In US, Ali: Fear Eats the Soul is available to stream on HBO Max Amazon Channel, YouTube TV and Criterion Channel, and rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store and Fandango At Home. Availability varies by country — check our where-to-watch page for every region.
- Is Ali: Fear Eats the Soul worth watching?
- Ali: Fear Eats the Soul holds an audience score of 7.7 out of 10, and is a strong pick if you enjoy drama and romance. Most viewers rate it highly.
- Who stars in Ali: Fear Eats the Soul?
- Ali: Fear Eats the Soul stars Brigitte Mira, El Hedi ben Salem, Barbara Valentin, Irm Hermann and Elma Karlowa.
- When was Ali: Fear Eats the Soul released?
- Ali: Fear Eats the Soul was released in 1974, with a runtime of about 93 minutes.