Part-Time Work of a Domestic Slave (German: Gelegenheitsarbeit einer Sklavin) is a 1973 West German drama film directed by Alexander Kluge. It is the third feature film by Kluge, a key figure of the New German Cinema movement.
Plot
The film follows Roswitha Bronski (played by Alexandra Kluge, the director's sister), a nurse married to chemical engineer Franz Bronski (Bion Steinborn), with whom she has three children. Because her husband does not work—devoting himself entirely to studies in the hope of becoming a great chemist—Roswitha is forced to support the family by running an illegal abortion clinic from their home. She faces indifference from her husband, who considers her intellectually inferior, and open hostility from medical professionals such as Dr. Genée (Traugott Buhre). When the police shut down her clinic, Roswitha sheds her passivity and embarks on a journey of self-redefinition as a mother, wife, and working woman, eventually becoming a labor activist in a factory.
Cast
- Alexandra Kluge as Roswitha Bronski
- Bion Steinborn as Franz Bronski
- Sylvia Gartmann as Sylvia
- Traugott Buhre as Dr. Genée
- Ursula Dirichs as Ms. Willek
- Alfred Edel as Factory security chief
Production and Release
- Country: West Germany
- Language: German
- Running time: 91 minutes
- Release date: 1973
The film was written and directed by Alexander Kluge. It premiered in 1973 and was shown at various international film festivals, including the New York Film Festival in 1974.
Themes
The film explores themes of gender roles, reproductive rights, labor activism, and the struggle of women in a patriarchal society. It is noted for its episodic, documentary-like style characteristic of Kluge's work, blending fiction with political commentary. The title itself is ironic, juxtaposing the concept of "part-time work" with the term "domestic slave," highlighting the protagonist's dual exploitation within the home and the labor market.
