An Analysis of Wings of Desire
We only get one shot at our life and, of course, we want it to be a good one. But what constitutes a life well lived?
What is Wings of Desire?
Wings of Desire is a film written and produced by Wim Wenders. The contents and themes of the film share many core beliefs and experiences with those developed during Wim Wender’s upbringing in a volatile period of Germany’s history. The story of Wings of Desire follows that of Damiel, a biblical angel, who’s duty it is to record the thoughts of the humans. Only children are able to perceive the angels and as a result, the angels live their lives in relative solitude, deprived of many human experiences we’d take for granted. Throughout the course of the story Damiel begins falling in love with a female circus performer named Marion. The movie culminates with Damiel rejecting his heavenly duties and immortality to live out his life as a human. This decision could come as a shock to many people, as throughout the story we see the seemingly the sad and depressing state that Berlin has been reduced to after the war.
The concept of angels, looking into our society from and outside perspective allows Wenders to make numerous comments on favourable our way of life is. Throughout the story, we observe the differences between the lifestyles of angels and that of the humans, the differences between children and adults, the outcomes of chasing our desires and the effects of the Berlin war on the people of Berlin. Through this lens, Wenders comments on many positive and negative aspects of human life. Wings of desire is a film with very little spoken dialogue, and as a result, must of Wenders arguments must be inferred from the shot composition of certain scenes.
What Makes an Angel?
The first, and most readily apparent, comparison to be made is that of the angels and that of the human occupants of Berlin. Something that immediately stands out about wings of desire is that the film is initially shot in black and white. Colour is used sparingly in the film, and when it is used it is used to convey a message. The first instance of colour we see in the movie is shown in a scene more than 25 minutes into the movie, where we are first introduced to Marion who is practising her performance in the circus.
Wenders used these three shots in sequence to communicate without words, the shift of perspective from Damiel to Marion and the resultant change in the movie’s colour. The initial shot sets up that Damiel is watching the show before we switch to see through his eyes. Then we’re taken to a new perspective taken from below and not above and this time in colour. The colour dichotomy between angel and human is representative of the differences between them. The angels lack a core integral component to be able to see the world in anything but desaturated blacks and whites. As Damiel gets closer and closer to becoming human, we learn that angels feel no sensation for “the little things” such as feeling their feet on the path or smelling blood. They don’t exist to live in the moment, rather live out across eternity, preserving the human race. This core distinction about being able to truly perceive and appreciate the moment is what sets the angels and humans apart. By making this distinction, Wenders urges us to think about and act more in the moment than worry about what is expected of us and what might be coming ahead.
Whats the point in growing up?
In addition to showing the differences between angels and humans, we are also shown the differences between children and adults. The first scene of the movie is the recounting of a poem titled, “when the child was a child.” The poem details the tendencies of a child, and their disregard of what is possible or required, and to instead pursue whatever brings them the most immediate joy. Lines from the poem include; “when the child was a child, it didn’t know it was a child” “when the child was a child it did not have opinions,” and, “when the child was a child it wanted the stream to be a river.” Through these descriptions Wender paints a picture of how he perceives children to be and act. He depicts children as jovial and uncaring for the boundaries or expectations imposed upon them. They are the embodiment of living in the moment and are better off as a result of it.
These shots intend to show the difference between the attitudes of children and adults by creating a tonal montage. The dreary faces and thoughts of the adults set up a cynical and sad tone. This makes the appearance of the children even more jarring, as their introduction is counter to that that had been established. This connection is made even more apparent as the when the child was a child poem is played over segments of the footage. The footage displays adults, caught up in the nuances or worried about the future, while kids run around the very apartment building, they’re in and playing games together. Through showing this distinction, Wenders implies that this carefree, living in the moment, attitude towards life is a way to stave off unfulfillment and unhappiness.
Desire in Wings of Desire
Unsurprisingly, another large theme within wings of desire is that of desire. A large part of Damiel’s motivation to become human stems from his desire to interact with and take part in Marion’s life. This endeavour ends up being successful with Marion and Damiel getting together. Damiel gave up the duties that were expected and enforced upon him to pursue what made him happy. In doing so he found renewed purpose believing himself, “to know now, what no angel knows.” Angels are quite literally defined by their duty. If an angel decides to forgo the expectations thrust upon it, then it can become a human. As a human, Damiel has the freedom to pursue his desires and is better off as a result. Damiel’s ending is of a stark contrast to that of Cassiel’s, with him questioning the nature of his work, bringing doubt to how important his work is if humans will never know of it. This, almost selfish, pursuit of one’s desires is similar to how Wenders believed children to be.
The most important part of the montage at the concert is sound. By putting the music from her to eternity, a song about a man who desires to unite with a woman whom lives in the building above him, Wenders creates a tonal montage. This scene acts as the culmination of all the actions undertaken within the movie. The shots cutting between Damiel in the background and Marion in the foreground as the song plays only further reinforces their desire for each other and the progression of their relationship throughout the story, mimicking Damiels final progression towards Marion through the crowd. By juxtaposing the fate of Damiel, who ditched his duties to pursue his desires, and that of Cassiel, alone and unsure of his purpose, Wenders implies that we should not hold back on pursuing what we want, no matter what is expected of you.
How can one best be human?
In conclusion, Wenders paints a unique picture of the idealistic way of living. Using the motif of the ever-present watchers of humanity he allows us to closer inspect humanity and its ups and downs, commenting on the current state of humanity and how we can best live it. Through the use of this motif, Wenders tell us that to best experiences one’s life, one must pursue what they want most and live to appease their present self. Sometimes a little bit of child-like joy and innocence can make all the difference.
