Seduction: The Cruel Woman

Seduction: The Cruel Woman (Verführung: Die grausame Frau) is a 1985 West German film, directed by Elfi Mikesch and Monika Treut, who both also wrote the screenplay. Wanda is played by Mechthild Großmann. The film was inspired by Leopold von Sacher-Masoch’s Venus in Furs.

Synopsis

Wanda is a dominatrix who runs a gallery in Hamburg. She lures men and women of all types into her sadomasochistic world where audiences pay for the privilege of seeing her humiliate her slaves. The end is an ultimate mix of eros and thanatos.

And when she is eventually gunned down, not by her American female lover whom she turns into an assistant-Mistress and not by her older tender shoe-fetishist motherly concerned lover either, but by – of all people – her husband (who is also her slave), the supreme joy on her face is absolutely ineffable.

Cast

Mechthild Großmann as Wanda

Udo Kier as Gregor

Sheila McLaughlin as Justine

Carola Regnier as Caren

Peter Weibel as Herr Maehrsch, Journalist

Georgette Dee as Friederike

Barbara Ossenkopp: Leila

Daniela Ziegler: Mother

Film Festivals

The movie was shown at the following film festivals, among others:

1985 Berlin International Film Festival, Forum

1985 San Francisco International Lesbian and Gay Film Festival

See also

Sadism and masochism in fiction

References

External links

Official website

Seduction: The Cruel Woman at IMDb