Wings of Desire: A World of Humans and Angels.
Released: 1987
Dir.: Wim Wenders
First time viewing reaction and reader request.
I try not to read reviews or learn anything about the films I’m watching for the first time before viewing or writing about them, I just usually have a brief synopsis handy as a reminder and to make sure I get the names of the actors and their characters correct. However, I couldn’t help but notice Wings of Desire being described as a ‘city symphony’, and I can’t think of a better description of this amazing film.
Before I sat down to write this I went for a short walk. It had been raining earlier in the morning, so it was still wet and gloomy, it reminded me a little bit about this film. It made me feel that even a grey, gloomy day can be a beautiful thing. Although I still don’t like the smell of worms after a rainstorm, a gloomy day offers the promise of a sunny and bright day ahead.
Bruno Ganz is Damiel one of a group of angels who move about Berlin observing, listening to, and comforting the people of the city that is divided by the political and ideological differences of the Cold War as well as still healing from the scars of World War 2. The angels are naturally invisible to everyone, but their influence is profound.
Damiel is slowly drawn to Marion (Solveig Dommartin) a young, lonely, angelic, aerial artist from a small travelling circus, whom Damiel begins to fall in love with. Of course, Damiel is immortal and does not have a physical presence in Marion’s world, so he begins to consult with his colleague, Cassiel (Otto Sander). Also in town is actor Peter Falk, playing himself, working on a film about Berlin’s Second World War past. Mr. Falk can sense the angel’s presence and will prove to be very important to Damiel.
To say any more about the plot of Wings of Desire would be giving too much away, as I went into the film knowing very little and I would like others who have yet to see it have the same experience I had. When the film was released in 1987, I was in film school, and although I remember it getting glowing reviews from Siskel and Ebert, never got to see it, even though some of us were interested in ‘high-brow, sub-titled’ films. We would ultimately see, Salaam Bombay and Cinema Paradiso before graduating.
The aesthetic of Wings of Desire is incredible. 90% of the film is shot in gorgeous black and white, making Berlin look gloomy, depressing and at the same time beautiful, inspiring and filled with hope, despite the presence of the Berlin Wall. From a photographer’s perspective, I found the visuals as a gift of inspiration. But the imagery is just one component of what Wings of Desire is.
I was only familiar with Bruno Ganz from his performance as Hitler in Downfall (2008), but his performance here will shatter that image, as he gives such a sincere, touching performance. His giving just the slightest hint of a smile is enough to fill you with joy. Solveig Dommartin portrays loneliness with so much truth. It is hard to imagine someone like Marion being lonely, yet the façade of a smile and happiness ring so true. And of course, Peter Falk, almost the last person you’d expect to see, yet he is perfect. The film even has a little fun with his Columbo image.
Wings of Desire is beautiful on every level. It’s not just a film, it is cinema, a work of art. I know from just one viewing I didn’t pick up on everything that was going on, so I do see a second viewing in my future, and that experience will be just as rewarding.
Fortunately, Wings of Desire is a film that stays with you. The world of the film, and the film itself resides in multi-levels of existence. The world of angels and humans, the past and present, and the world captured on strips of celluloid, pieced together to create a visual feast teetering on despair, but filled with so much love and hope. As I put these words together, I look out the window, and I can see that the sun has come out.
Thank you to my friend Helen for the recommendation.
Wings of Desire is available on DVD and Blu-ray from the Criterion Collection and is streaming on the Criterion Channel.
