|
Who would think that a documentary of a relatively obscure event that took place over thirty years ago could play out like a contemporary thriller. But that's what Wisconsin Death Trip director James Marsh accomplishes with Man on Wire—a mesmerizing film about French wire-walker Phillppe Petit's daredevil (and illegal) tightrope act between the twin towers of the World Trade Center on August 7, 1974. Not only does March re-create the event with dramatic flair, but he overcomes our natural inclination to view the WTC with melancholy nostalgia by infusing hope and humor into the narrative.
Early on we see construction workers at the WTC site, but this is not post 9/11 footage; it comes from the late 1960s when the proposed WTC promised to be the world's tallest building. A magazine picturing of the twin towers catches the eye of Philipe Petit in a Parisian dentist office, and instantly becomes his new obsession; a dream is born. It seems his whole life purpose rests on the outrageous idea of walking a wire between the towers. Not for terrorism, not for profit, not for glory. It's strictly for artistry. Petit grows ecstatic over what he imagines to be a most beautiful moment!
Marsh weaves actual footage, archive photographs, contemporary interviews, and re-constructed dramatizations seamlessly to give us an insider's portrait of Petit's daring project, complete with his passionate commitment to his performance artistry. Before the supreme test, Petit practices with lesser endeavors—stringing and walking wires between two Notre Dame Cathedral towers and atop Sydney's Harbour Bridge until police cart him away.
Nearly as complicated to pull off as any of the Ocean's Eleven heists, Petit enlists a motley crew of assistants, who are all interviewed on the film. Besides his lover Annie and two close friends, he enlists the help of two New Yorkers: a business executive (with a rebel spirit) who works at the WTC and a pot-smoking piano player who speaks no French. Just getting past WTC security is a major trick, but fake ID cards and a pair of crutches play a part. Great patience is also required, like the 3 hour wait that Petit and partner endure under a tarp while a security guard checks out the 82nd floor. Pure brazeness works on another guard somehow, but hearing how this all unfolds creates tremendous suspense and forms much of the fun of the film.
The magic works, and incredibly the film re-creates that first courageous moment when Petit commits to walking the wire strung between the towers. It's both frightening and surprisingly poignant. And unexpectedly funny. Police naturally arrive to cart Petit away, yet he taunts and teases . . . darting away when almost in their grasp, and playing on the wire for 45 minutes—lying down, juggling, going back and forth eight times. He's eventually charged with "disturbing the peace," but the world could use a lot more events like this to shake it from lethargy.
I entered the local art house theater expecting to like Man on Wire but I was completely surprised at just how moved I was by Marsh’s film. It grasps just what it means to be human and to express it fully. For anyone with a rebellious, artistic nature, this film is truly an inspiration and ranks among the stronger films of 2008. |
