Damiel is an angel who wants to know what it means to be a human. As an
angel, he doesn't have a body or the material senses a body possesses to smell
flowers, see colors, or touch the curve of a woman's neck. Living in the eternal
now that angels exist in, he has never felt the flow of time. He longs to be
surprised by the unfolding of the future. He has understood humanity as an
observer, interacted as an alien, but now he longs to experience humanity for
himself. After wrestling with the question of mortality, his wish is
granted.
This movie begins by exploring the experience of angels (at least as well it
can be represented for those of us that experience only linear time), but this
is a movie about what it means to be human and to mature. The movie works
through these themes in three movements. It begins mostly in black and white.
This represents the intellectual experience of angels that don't experience our
sensual life. Damiel talks to his friend Cassiel about the pretense of angels
taking on temporary human guise. Going through the motions of eating, but never
touching or tasting. The lack of color also adds to the contemplative mood,
removing distractions while we think about the questions the angels pose. In
contrast, the human perspective is presented in vibrant color and pushed along
by a greater consciousness of time.
Becoming a human does not end Damiel's story. We see him explore the world of
the senses with a child-like innocence and a sense of wonder at a world that is
suddenly all new to him. But exploring the world is only the first step. As an
angel, he became enraptured with a woman. Now, he meets up with her in the
flesh. Their meeting forces both of them into the next stage of their life. They
must give up some of what it means to be a child in order to understand and
experience love. This movie never leaves us with simple answers, though. There
is an old story-teller, Homer, who wanders through the movie reminding of the
dangers of forgetting the sense of wonder and a value of the small, natural
things that comes easily to a child.
This is a movie that tackles several complicated themes while remaining clear
in its content and never losing sight of its characters. In fact, it is
character that drives this film. The representation of the angels is about as
biblical as possible given the limitations of film and the needs of the plot,
which is refreshing in a time when folk tales have seemed to replace the
biblical idea of angels, even among Christians. But it is the thoughtful content
that allows the movie to be viewed several times without exhausting what it has
to offer. You'll need to view the film at least twice since the actions of Peter
Falk's character takes on a whole new meaning after you learn his secret. This
movie is a treasure. Don't let it pass you by.
From Wind
Words
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