Review of Wings of Desire (1987) by Lanning : — 24 Jul 2008

Having just recently seen Bruno Ganz in Downfall (Der Untergang) where his Adolf Hitler is stunning, I was amazed to see him here playing a very gentle, soft-spoken angel. I think it fair to say that the roles could not be more different.

This man has range. A very different story than the last days in the life of the 20th-century's most infamous maniac and mass-murderer, WIngs of Desore tells the tale of the angels who walk among us, watching over us, guiding us, and generally looking observing the everyday life of the living.

This story is not new, but I was overwhelmed by the sheer numbers of angels. At several points it almost felt as if each of us might actually have a guardian angel, they appeared so abundant -- I think mine is very much like the Clarence of It's a Wonderful Life.

And as you might or might not be surprised to discover, not all angels are thrilled with the reality of living forever, unable to participate in the aspects of human existence that they find appealing.

Love, for instance, is a big problem for an angel who suddenly finds a human woman with whom he wishes to fall in love. Happily, however, if you wish hard enough for something, it may actually come to be, and Ganz wants so badly to experience human love with Solveig Dommartin as Marion -- and I can't say I blame him -- that he becomes mortal.

Luckily for him, she feels the same way when she meets him, and we assume that they live happily ever after -- until, of course, death do them part, neither one being immortal now. Okay, so this is a very nice story.

The best thing about Wings of Desire, however, is Peter Falk. Falk plays himself; he is on location in Berlin shooting a movie. The Columbo jokes are good as various citizens recognize him on the street, but you slowly come to realize that, besides all the very young children who are somehow aware of the angels walking amongst us, Falk too is aware of their presence.

He finally actually speaks to Ganz, even though he cannot see Ganz. In the most amazing turn of the film -- and yes this is a major spoiler -- my apologies -- Ganz realizes that Falk was once an angel himself.

Like Ganz, he too came to the realization that he wanted to be a human being, and his wish was fulfilled. It's a wonderful twist, and something I'm still smiling about when it comes to mind. Peter Falk, a former angel.

I love that.