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Wings of Desire

Play trailer Poster for Wings of Desire PG-13 1987 2h 8m Fantasy Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
95% Tomatometer 65 Reviews 93% Popcornmeter 25,000+ Ratings
Two angels, Damiel (Bruno Ganz) and Cassiel (Otto Sander), glide through the streets of Berlin, observing the bustling population, providing invisible rays of hope to the distressed but never interacting with them. When Damiel falls in love with lonely trapeze artist Marion (Solveig Dommartin), the angel longs to experience life in the physical world, and finds—with some words of wisdom from actor Peter Falk (playing himself)—that it might be possible for him to take human form.
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Wings of Desire

Wings of Desire

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Critics Consensus

Beyond ravishing, Wings of Desire is Wim Wenders' is aching and heartbreaking exploration of how love makes us human.

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Critics Reviews

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Pauline Kael The New Yorker 09/15/2023
To put it simply, Wings of Desire has a visual fascination but no animating force -- that’s part of why it’s being acclaimed as art. Go to Full Review Joe Clay The Times (UK) 06/28/2022
Wim Wenders’ astonishing, award-winning fantasy drama depicts life in a divided Berlin through the eyes of angels. Go to Full Review Danny Leigh Financial Times 06/23/2022
5/5
If some restorations of classic films are mere spit and polish, this one is spectacular: a deepening and sharpening of existing beauty. Go to Full Review Charles Mudede The Stranger (Seattle, WA) 05/11/2024
...utterly beautiful and provides a document for West Berlin just before the fall of the wall... Go to Full Review Erick Estrada Cinegarage 06/21/2023
An example of the most inspired Wim Wenders. [Full review in Spanish] Go to Full Review Matt Brunson Film Frenzy 05/24/2023
4/4
One of those rare motion pictures that manages to bring a true poetic sensibility to the medium of film. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Triston W @Triston1 Jun 28 Not for me, but appreciate the concept See more Leprechaun K @LeprechaunKing May 7 This movie is extremely boring. Two full hours of watching some guy walk around doing nothing with a monotone voice over. Visually, the camera work is slow-pace, flat, and unexciting. Movie contains zero entertainment value. This movie was made in the 80's but it has the look and feel of a 40's or 50's movie. Not even Falk can save this disastrous incoherent mess. See more bao s @RT77741678 Jan 25 The scene with Cave's song and their meeting. I've only felt this way about 3 or 4 time while experiencing a film. Absolute beauty. See more Kaan B @RT58387574 Oct 13 People sometimes forget to appreciate the small things in life. This film will remind you in such a beatiful way. See more Bososkey J. @Oscarj 07/25/2025 this movie, is hard to elaborate on. it is certainly a top 5 for me with my only subjective gripe being the ending going on for too long which I can’t knock it for. 10/10 See more Stephen C @bob25009 06/10/2025 Success in 2 hours and 8 minutes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! In German and English versions with English subtitles!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! See more Read all reviews
Wings of Desire

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Cast & Crew

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Wim Wenders

Director

Bruno Ganz

Damiel

Solveig Dommartin

Marion

Otto Sander

Cassiel

Curt Bois

Homer

Peter Falk

Self

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Wings of Desire

Wings of Desire (1987) Wings of Desire (1987) Wings of Desire (1987) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Two angels, Damiel (Bruno Ganz) and Cassiel (Otto Sander), glide through the streets of Berlin, observing the bustling population, providing invisible rays of hope to the distressed but never interacting with them. When Damiel falls in love with lonely trapeze artist Marion (Solveig Dommartin), the angel longs to experience life in the physical world, and finds—with some words of wisdom from actor Peter Falk (playing himself)—that it might be possible for him to take human form.
Director
Wim Wenders
Producer
Anatole Dauman, Wim Wenders
Screenwriter
Wim Wenders, Peter Handke
Distributor
Orion Pictures
Production Co
Argos Films
Rating
PG-13
Genre
Fantasy
Original Language
German
Release Date (Theaters)
Jan 1, 1987, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Mar 23, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA)
$120.8K
Runtime
2h 8m
Sound Mix
Stereo, Dolby Stereo
Aspect Ratio
Flat (1.66:1)
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