Der Himmel über Berlin (1987)

Director:

Wim Wenders

Writers:

Peter Handke (writer)
Richard Reitinger (screenplay)

Release Date:

6 May 1988 (USA)

Genre:

Fantasy | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

There are angels on the streets of Berlin.

Plot:

An angel tires of overseeing human activity and wishes to become human when he falls in love with a mortal.

Plot Keywords:

Angel | Circus | Desire | Flashback | Car Dealer

Awards:

Nominated for BAFTA Film Award. Another 15 wins & 5 nominations

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Bruno Ganz	...	Damiel
Solveig Dommartin	...	Marion
Otto Sander	...	Cassiel
Curt Bois	...	Homer, the aged poet
Peter Falk	...	Der Filmstar
Hans Martin Stier	...	In weiteren Rollen - Der Sterbende
Elmar Wilms	...	In weiteren Rollen - Ein trauriger Mann
Sigurd Rachman	...	In weiteren Rollen - Der Selbstmörder
Beatrice Manowski	...	In weiteren Rollen - Das Strichmädchen
Lajos Kovács	...	Im Zirkus - Marion's Trainer
Bruno Rosaz	...	Im Zirkus - Der Clown
Laurent Petitgand	...	Im Zirkus - Der Kapellmeister
Chick Ortega	...	Im Zirkus - Der Schlagzeuger (as Chico Rojo Ortega)
Otto Kuhnle	...	Im Zirkus - Die Jongleure
Christoph Merg	...	Im Zirkus - Der Jongleure

Also Known As:

Wings of Desire (UK) (USA)
Les ailes du désir (France)
The Sky Above Berlin (USA) (literal English title)
The Sky Over Berlin (USA) (literal English title)

Runtime:

128 min

Country:

West Germany | France

Language:

German | English | French | Turkish | Hebrew | Spanish

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor) | Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) (1999) | Iceland:L | Australia:PG (DVD rating) | UK:12 (DVD rating) (2007) | UK:15 (cinema rating) | Brazil:Livre | Argentina:Atp | Australia:M | Finland:S | South Korea:12 | Spain:13 | Sweden:11 | UK:PG | USA:PG-13 | West Germany:6 | Singapore:PG | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PG (Manitoba/Ontario)

Filming Locations:

Berlin, Germany

Company:

Road Movies Filmproduktion

Trivia:

Wim Wenders originally wanted Peter Handke to collaborate on the script. Handke declined to work on the script as a whole but agreed to write a set number of important scenes which Wenders could then work around.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Cassiel is crossing the street, there is a bus coming. You can hear the bus driver let off the accelerator to allow the actor to pass, and then accelerate when he is clear. But the character is an angel, which adults cannot see, yet by the sound of the bus, it is clear that the bus driver sees him.

Quotes:

Damiel: It happened once... It happened once, and so it will be forever.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Wings (2003)

Soundtrack:

Six Bells Chime

Astonishing

I just saw this film for the first time. This film is simply amazing. So subtley powerful. The climaxing scene at the bar, is like seeing the world in a grain of sand. There, just now. Did you see it? There it is again. And again, over there. You didn't see it? Watch and you'll see. This film has just made #1 on my favorite films of all time. The way they use Peter Faulk to trancend the boundry between art and life, or perhaps erase the line all together, wonderfully creative. We are guided gently in to a world full of fallen angels, and then brought full circle back home again. This is simply a must see movie. I find it hard to imagine anyone not getting something out of this movie.