As one of Fassbinder's earliest surviving works, The City Tramp was heavily influenced by the French New Wave. It was filmed during his time at the Action-Theater in Munich and features several actors who would become part of his regular ensemble, including Fassbinder himself in a small role. Key elements of the film include:
: The setting emphasizes the cold, uncaring nature of the city toward its most vulnerable inhabitants.
: It showcases Fassbinder’s ability to capture profound human despair with very limited resources.