Until the End of the World (1991)

In 1999, Claire's life is forever changed after she survives a car crash. She rescues Sam and starts traveling around the world with him. Writer Eugene follows them and writes their story, as a way of recording dreams is being invented.

Director:

Wim Wenders

Writers:

Peter Carey (screenplay), Wim Wenders (screenplay)

Stars:

William Hurt, Solveig Dommartin, Pietro Falcone

2 wins & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Solveig Dommartin	...	Claire Tourneur
Pietro Falcone	...	Mario
Enzo Turrin	...	Arzt
Chick Ortega	...	Chico Rémy
Eddy Mitchell	...	Raymond Monnet
William Hurt	...	Sam Farber, alias Trevor McPhee
Adelle Lutz	...	Makiko
Ernie Dingo	...	Burt
Jean-Charles Dumay	...	Automechaniker
Sam Neill	...	Eugene Fitzpatrick
Ernest Berk	...	Anton Farber
Christine Oesterlein	...	Irina Farber
Rüdiger Vogler	...	Phillip Winter
Diogo Dória	...	Hotelportier
Amália Rodrigues	...	Frau in Strassenbahn (as Amalia Rodrigues)

Storyline

Set in 1999, a woman (Dommartin) has a car accident with some bank robbers, who enlist her help to take the bank money to a drop in Paris. On the way she runs into another fugitive from the law (Hurt), an American who is being chased by the CIA. The charges are false, he claims. They want to confiscate a device his father invented which allows anyone to record their dreams and vision. On the run from both the bank robbers and the CIA, the couple span the globe, ending up in Australia at his father's (von Sydow) research facility, where they hope to play back the recordings Hurt captured for his blind mother. Set in the futuristic year of 1999, a subplot about a damaged Indian nuclear satellite crashing and causing the end of civilization is a puzzling addition to the film.

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Plot Keywords:

bank robber | dream | australia | end of the millennium | national security | 

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Taglines:

The Ultimate Road Movie!

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Genres:

Action | Drama | Sci-Fi | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language and sensuality

Details

Country:

Germany France Australia USA

Language:

English French Italian Japanese German

Release Date:

25 December 1991 (USA)

Also Known As:

Until the End of the World

Filming Locations:

Germany

Box Office

Budget:

$23,000,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$752,856

Company Credits

Production Co:

Argos Films, Road Movies Filmproduktion, Village Roadshow Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

280 min (director's cut) 179 min (1991 European cut)

Sound Mix:

Dolby Stereo LC-Concept Digital Sound (France)

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

It was only after "Wings of Desire" turned out to be a sleeper hit, that Wim Wenders was able to get funding for this film.

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Goofs

When Bert is shown as the guitarist in Chico's impromptu band for the first time, he hands the guitar to the green-shirted man on the bridge while the rest of the band keeps playing. But when the scene cuts to a different angle, Bert is still playing the guitar.

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Quotes

Eugene Fitzpatrick: Do you love him?
Claire Tourneur: Yes, I do.
Eugene Fitzpatrick: Well, I hope he loves you.

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Alternate Versions

The 280-minute version was shown at 7:00 pm on Saturday, February 24, 2001 at the Directors Guild of America Theater, 110 W. 57th St., New York City. Wim Wenders was at the screening and announced this version would be released on DVD. The Area 2 "Arthaus" DVD release of 2005 indeed runs 279 minutes and is presented in the "trilogy format" of three parts each between 91 and 97 minutes long.

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Connections

Featured in Steve Jobs: The Man in the Machine (2015)

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Soundtracks

Days
Written by Ray Davies (as Raymond Douglas Davies)
Performed by Elvis Costello
Courtesy of ABKCO Music, Inc.

User Reviews

complex, intelligent, "realistic-fictious" plot

Wim Wenders sets a touching love story within the plot of a sci-fi cat&mouse pursuit around the world. Once again his movie is spiked with irony and esprit. The story is more complex than in his previous movies. Who got bored by Wenders before will be pleasantly surprised, although one should be able to cherish a long, slow movie. Wenders shows us a completely technological world, which he then confronts with the "good old way" of life. "Bis ans Ende der Welt" can be understood in 2 ways: space or time. During the movie the viewer travels in both dimensions and will leave the cinema dazzled and deeply moved. Also due to the outstanding soundtrack, including Peter Gabriel's "Blood of Eden" in a unique version (without the high notes) which unfortunately is not available on the original motion picture soundtrack. Great cinematography, to be viewed on big screen only!