'Ali: Fear Eats the Soul,' Ranked Among ‘Best Movies’ of All Time, Became a Timeless Classic
'Ali: Fear Eats the Soul,' Ranked Among ‘Best Movies’ of All Time, Became a Timeless Classic
Madz DizonThu, April 23, 2026 at 6:20 AM UTC
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A landmark 1974 romance drama has once again secured its place in film history after being ranked among the greatest movies ever made.
Ali: Fear Eats the Soul, directed by Rainer Werner Fassbinder, was recently placed at No. 125 on Rotten Tomatoes’ list of the “300 Best Movies of All Time,” reaffirming its enduring legacy decades after its original release.
The film, known in German as Angst essen Seele auf, has long been celebrated as one of Fassbinder’s most powerful works. It first gained major recognition after winning top honors at the Cannes Film Festival 1974, including the International Federation of Film Critics award and the Prize of the Ecumenical Jury.
Today, its continued inclusion in global rankings highlights how its story still resonates with audiences around the world.
Moroccan actor El Hedi ben Salem and German actress Brigitte Mira on the set of the film “Tous les autres s'appellent Ali” (Angst essen Seele auf) directed by Rainer Werner Fassbinder. Photo by Filmverlag der Autoren/Tango Film/Sunset Boulevard/Corbis via Getty Images
Over time, the film’s reputation has only grown stronger. It now holds a perfect 100% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes and has been ranked among the greatest films in world cinema by Sight & Sound. Legendary filmmaker Martin Scorsese even included it in his list of “39 Essential Foreign Films for a Young Filmmaker.”
At its core, Ali: Fear Eats the Soul tells a deeply human story. Emmi, played by Brigitte Mira, is a lonely 60-year-old cleaning woman. One rainy night, she enters a bar and meets Ali, played by El Hedi ben Salem. What begins as a simple dance quickly turns into a relationship that shocks those around them.
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Their marriage faces harsh judgment. Emmi’s own children reject her, and her neighbors treat the couple with coldness. Ali also faces discrimination as a foreign worker. The film shows how society’s fear and prejudice can hurt people, even when they are simply trying to be happy.
One of the film’s most memorable lines comes from Ali himself: “Fear eat soul up.” The broken grammar reflects his struggle with the German language, but the meaning is clear and powerful. It shows how fear can destroy love, trust, and connection.
The film’s influence can also be seen in its connection to director Douglas Sirk, whose works like All That Heaven Allows inspired Fassbinder’s storytelling style. The emotional depth and social themes helped define the New German Cinema movement of the 1970s.
Even today, the film is regularly shown in cinemas and festivals around the world. Its themes of racism, loneliness and acceptance remain relevant, especially in modern discussions about immigration and social division.
Related: 1968 Hit Film Ranked Among ‘Best Movies of All Time’
This story was originally published by Parade on Apr 23, 2026, where it first appeared in the Movies section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
