Movie #: 860 Title: WINGS OF DESIRE 1987

Rating: 9.70

Director (last): WENDERS (first): WIM

Writer (last): HANDKE (first): PETER

More appropriately translated as "Heaven Over Berlin". This is a stunning achievement, an extraordinary film that challenges conventional movie structures and formal design. Don't look for the virtuosity of a Hollywood techno-geek-- look for the poetry... of your favourite painter or musician. Wings of Desire concerns two angels, Damiel and Cassiel, who watch over the citizens of divided Berlin. They love these failed humans, and display enormous compassion for their frailties and despair, but are not always capable of saving them. Damiel becomes intrigued, out of love, with human experience and desires to become mortal. He also has his eye on Marion, a beautiful trapeze artist, who is about to lose her job because the circus she works for is going broke. Peter Falk makes a startling appearance, apparently as himself, an American actor working on a movie in Berlin. He senses the presence of the angels, unlike most others in the film, and becomes a very odd but credible connection between them and the mortals. One of Damiel's first mortal experiences is to drink a cup of coffee. This scene was filmed so beautifully, so movingly, that it affected my feelings about coffee for weeks afterwards: I relished every cup. The film is shot in black & white, and spoken in various languages, sometimes subtitled, sometimes not. If you have the patience for subtle artistry and dense, rich, emotional textures, this could be one of the most intriguing films you will ever see.

Is this movie a "gem"? No

Evil Twin:

Good Twin: Our Town

 

Added: 1997-10-01 [yyyy-mm-dd]