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Wings of Desire

Original title: Der Himmel über Berlin
  • 19871987
  • PG-13PG-13
  • 2h 8m
IMDb RATING
8.0/10
70K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
3,274
2,057
Wings of Desire (1987)
  • Drama
  • Fantasy
  • Romance
An angel tires of his purely ethereal life of merely overseeing the human activity of Berlin's residents, and longs for the tangible joys of physical existence when he falls in love with a m... Read allAn angel tires of his purely ethereal life of merely overseeing the human activity of Berlin's residents, and longs for the tangible joys of physical existence when he falls in love with a mortal.An angel tires of his purely ethereal life of merely overseeing the human activity of Berlin's residents, and longs for the tangible joys of physical existence when he falls in love with a mortal.
IMDb RATING
8.0/10
70K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
3,274
2,057
  • Director
    • Wim Wenders
  • Writers
    • Wim Wenders(screenplay by)
    • Peter Handke(screenplay by)
    • Richard Reitinger(screenplay collaboration)
  • Stars
    • Bruno Ganz
    • Solveig Dommartin
    • Otto Sander
Top credits
  • Director
    • Wim Wenders
  • Writers
    • Wim Wenders(screenplay by)
    • Peter Handke(screenplay by)
    • Richard Reitinger(screenplay collaboration)
  • Stars
    • Bruno Ganz
    • Solveig Dommartin
    • Otto Sander
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 266User reviews
    • 90Critic reviews
    • 79Metascore
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 1 BAFTA Award
      • 19 wins & 16 nominations total

    Videos1

    Wings of Desire
    Interview 3:38
    Wings of Desire

    Photos149

    Bruno Ganz in Wings of Desire (1987)
    "Wings of Desire", Solveig Dommartin W. Germany-France, Orion, 1988, **I.V.
    Wim Wenders, Henri Alekan, and Solveig Dommartin in Wings of Desire (1987)
    "Wings of Desire", W. Wenders, B. Ganz, P. Falk, H. Alekan, W. Germany-France, Orion, 1988, **I.V.
    Wim Wenders and Bruno Ganz at an event for Wings of Desire (1987)
    Wings of Desire (1987)
    Bruno Ganz in Wings of Desire (1987)
    Bruno Ganz in Wings of Desire (1987)
    Peter Falk, Bruno Ganz, and Solveig Dommartin in Wings of Desire (1987)
    Solveig Dommartin in Wings of Desire (1987)
    Bruno Ganz and Solveig Dommartin in Wings of Desire (1987)
    Bruno Ganz in Wings of Desire (1987)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Bruno Ganz
    Bruno Ganz
    • Damielas Damiel
    Solveig Dommartin
    Solveig Dommartin
    • Marionas Marion
    Otto Sander
    Otto Sander
    • Cassielas Cassiel
    Curt Bois
    Curt Bois
    • Homeras Homer
    Peter Falk
    Peter Falk
    • Der Filmstaras Der Filmstar
    Hans Martin Stier
    • In weiteren Rollen - Der Sterbendeas In weiteren Rollen - Der Sterbende
    Elmar Wilms
    • In weiteren Rollen - Ein trauriger Mannas In weiteren Rollen - Ein trauriger Mann
    Sigurd Rachman
    • In weiteren Rollen - Der Selbstmörderas In weiteren Rollen - Der Selbstmörder
    Beatrice Manowski
    • In weiteren Rollen - Das Strichmädchenas In weiteren Rollen - Das Strichmädchen
    Lajos Kovács
    • Im Zirkus - Marion's Traineras Im Zirkus - Marion's Trainer
    Bruno Rosaz
    • Im Zirkus - Der Clownas Im Zirkus - Der Clown
    Laurent Petitgand
    • Im Zirkus - Der Kapellmeisteras Im Zirkus - Der Kapellmeister
    Chick Ortega
    • Im Zirkus - Der Schlagzeugeras Im Zirkus - Der Schlagzeuger
    • (as Chico Rojo Ortega)
    Otto Kuhnle
    • Im Zirkus - Die Jongleureas Im Zirkus - Die Jongleure
    Christoph Merg
    • Im Zirkus - Der Jongleureas Im Zirkus - Der Jongleure
    Peter Werner
    • Im Zirkus - Der Manageras Im Zirkus - Der Manager
    Susanne Vierkötter
    • Im Zirkusas Im Zirkus
    Paul Busch
    Paul Busch
    • Im Zirkusas Im Zirkus
    • Director
      • Wim Wenders
    • Writers
      • Wim Wenders(screenplay by)
      • Peter Handke(screenplay by)
      • Richard Reitinger(screenplay collaboration)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      In the closing titles it says: "Dedicated to all the former angels, but especially to Yasujiro, François and Andrej." This refers to film directors Yasujirô Ozu, François Truffaut, and Andrei Tarkovsky. All were favorites of director Wim Wenders. At the time of filming "Wings of Desire" Truffaut and Tarkovsky had only recently passed away, in 1984 and 1986. Ozu died in 1963.
    • Goofs
      When Cassiel (Otto Sander) is crossing the street, a bus slows down to allow him to cross the road, then accelerates once he's clear. As Cassiel is an invisible angel, the bus driver shouldn't have been able to see him.
    • Quotes

      Damiel: When the child was a child, it was the time of these questions. Why am I me, and why not you? Why am I here, and why not there? When did time begin, and where does space end? Isn't life under the sun just a dream? Isn't what I see, hear, and smell just the mirage of a world before the world? Does evil actually exist, and are there people who are really evil? How can it be that I, who am I, wasn't before I was, and that sometime I, the one I am, no longer will be the one I am?

    • Crazy credits
      Dedicated to all the former angels, but especially to Yasujiro, François and Andrej.
    • Connections
      Featured in At the Movies: Red Heat/A World Apart/Rikky and Pete/Poltergeist III/Wings of Desire (1988)
    • Soundtracks
      Zirkusmusik
      by Laurent Petitgand

    User reviews266

    Review
    Top review
    Painfully beautiful -- handle with care
    The movie playbill for the American version of the movie (the one you see on the site) is quite misleading: a naked woman in the background with the title "Wings of desire" -- it almost looks as the movie should have some erotic content. But there's nothing here which will try to appeal to your immediate senses. This is a poignantly beautiful metaphysical excursion on what it means to be human. Wim Wenders has recognized the metaphysical nature of the movie by dedicating it to Truffaut, Ozu and especially Tarkovskij. And everything -- the bleakness of the landscape, the ubiquity of the Berlin wall, the anguish in which the characters are immersed -- acquires a deeper meaning when we see it through the eyes of two angels. And the sky over Berlin, with its angels, is the only thing that keeps together two painfully divided sides of the city, and the only perspective from which to see it as one.

    But handle with care: if you're looking for a movie with an enthralling plot, a clear language and a reasonable pace, you'll be disappointed. The first time I saw this movie with a friend we laughed all the way. I've seen it more 5-6 times now and I've stopped laughing. I sit there and I'm mesmerized.

    The movie was born without a script and it is a melting pot with dialogues by Peter Handke, improvised monologues by the actors, connecting material written by Wim Wenders. In one example, Wenders indulges too long in a scene just because he regrets removing it due to all the work the actress has made for preparing to be a trapezist. This is clearly against all rules and all common sense.

    Despite all this the movie works and the reason is, the movie somehow manages to touch deep strings all the way through, because of its beautiful imagery (thanks to director of photography Henri Alekan), its eerie soundtrack, the disorderly collection of truly poetic dialogues/monologues, very inspired acting, and the impredictable combined effect of all this -- surely beyond what was planned by Wim Wenders himself. Should I add that the movie has created its own language for making its point?

    The film has also become an incredible documentary on Berlin just before the fall of the wall.
    helpful•19
    6
    • pietro_parodi
    • Dec 29, 2003

    FAQ1

    • What does the Japanese woman say in the rock club?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • May 6, 1988 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • West Germany
      • France
    • Languages
      • German
      • English
      • French
      • Turkish
      • Hebrew
      • Spanish
      • Japanese
    • Also known as
      • The Sky Above Berlin
    • Filming locations
      • Mitte, Berlin, Germany
    • Production companies
      • Road Movies Filmproduktion
      • Argos Films
      • Westdeutscher Rundfunk (WDR)
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $3,333,969
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $17,301
      • May 1, 1988
    • Gross worldwide
      • $3,428,558
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours 8 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Stereo

    Related news

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