“If I die, what a beautiful death; to die in the exercise of my passion.” A visit to the dentist leads a handsome young Frenchman to discover his destiny as a high wirewalker in Paris in the early 70s.
“If I die, what a beautiful death; to die in the exercise of my passion.” A visit to the dentist leads a handsome young Frenchman to discover his destiny as a high wirewalker in Paris in the early 70s.
As Philippe Petit sits in the dark waiting room he pages through a magazine, only to find a picture of plans for the building of the World Trade Centre in New York.
His toothache forgotten, he sees something absolutely beautiful in the Twin Towers, and he rips out the
pages and flees the scene.
A few years later, on 7 August 1974, Petit spends 45 minutes on a high wire spanned between the two towers, dancing and taunting the flabbergasted police whose guns and threats don’t apply to the magical world he has created for himself.
The film Man on Wire is based on Petit’s book To reach the clouds which was recently renamed to be the same as the film.
The title is derived from the police charge sheet in which Petit was charged with trespassing and disorderly conduct.
His penalty was compulsory community service in the form of public entertainment. After his arrest Petit is sent to a psychiatric ward for observation to find out why he did what he did, and the media’s
most pressing question was also a very practical why.
Petit expresses his incredulity at the American media, because something as beautiful and mysterious surely needs no motivation or explanation.
The film is devastatingly beautiful. The documentary style of presentation engages the viewer on a level that is close to participatory.
The cinematography is done by Igor Marinkovic, a Yugoslav artist who graduated from the Belgrade Academy of Fine Arts under the leadership of Yugoslav painter Stoyan Celic in 1984.
The use of archival footage, such as yellowed photographs and amateur films, in conjunction with stylised dramatisation and modern day interviewing techniques creates a juxtaposition that illustrates the pure impossibility of the mission and the sheer otherworldliness of Petit’s accomplishments.
It varies between being a documentary, an art film, a high intensity heist movie reminiscent of the cops and robbers era (incidentally the movies Petit watches as he prepares for his high wire walk), but it is also a love story between Petit and Annie Allix, and how she encourages him and fears for his life during their brief, poignant affair.
More than anything this is a film about a man who, with the help of his friends, transcends the boundaries of nature and society through his belief that “life should be lived on the edge of life”.
Man on Wire is directed by James Marsh with English and French with English subtitles. It is available on DVD.
