Wings of Desire
1987
Directed by Wim Wenders
I remember one of my writing professors urging us to see this film as she was trying to get us to have more political meaning in our work. Although that was my first class writing fiction and as I could barely come up with plots at that point, maybe she should have set her sights a little lower. Anyway, when I finally did see this, I was disappointed about how over the top and melodramatic it was.
Invisible, immortal angels populate Berlin. They observe and comfort lonely people, but they seem to be sadder than any human, as they are always on the outside looking in. One of the angels who longs to be mortal falls in love with a trapeze artist.
So yes, this was film was beautiful. But it is also quite a demanding movie. Wenders is constantly hitting us over the head with metaphors and having characters utter lines that are supposed to make us cry. I found the experience to be exhausting, rather like going to see a ballet. I just prefer something a bit less sappy.
Still, undeniably a gorgeous film, just decidedly in the "not for me" category.
RATING: ***--
Interesting Facts:
Basis for the American film City of Angels with Nicolas Cage and Meg Ryan. What a lovely cast...
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