On August 7th 1974, a young Frenchman by the name of Philippe Petit took a bold step out onto a wire that was illegally rigged between the twin towers, the two tallest buildings at the time. After nearly an hour atop the wire, Petit was arrested and taken into the custody of the New York State Police. Though few realized it at the time, the world had just experienced the most beautifully artistic crime that would ever occur.
Now, the six and a half long years of dreaming, as well as the eight months that were spent in New York, come alive through the words and personality of Petit and his men. Featuring a handful of exclusive interviews and photographs, director James Marsh has recreated the intensity and perplexity that was felt on that cloudy August day.
As the film stars out, we are introduced to Philippe Petit and his band of 'criminals.' It is the 6th of August, 1974, and they are plotting their path up the two twin towers. However, within minutes, audience members are taken back to the beginning as each character is introduced and the start of Petit's career as a wire walker is shown.
As the movie progresses, this same formula is repeated as events from the night of the 6th are intermixed with those events leading up to that extraordinary day. From Notre Dame to the Sydney Harbor Bridge, Petit thrived for attention and received it as he got arrested after each public stunt, making a name for himself amongst the different world renowned landmarks.
Though the story is quite astounding, it was the personality and storytelling ability of the film's subject, Philippe Petit that surprised me. Known for his adventurous endeavors, Petit shocks the audience with his outgoing personality, using his tone and soothing words to capture viewers and take them on a thrill ride unlike any other.
Additionally, the film thrives on the work of Marsh and his camera. Using a high volume of vintage footage, as well as reenacted sequences, Marsh is able to recreate many of Petit's wild adventures, thus allowing audiences to experience and appreciate the spectacle of the incident.
However, it wasn't all about the direction, cinematography (which was simply amazing) or even the commentary provided by Petit and his crew. Instead, it was the daunting and spellbinding task that Petit derived and accepted. It was the fact that he completed the daunting mission and lived to tell about it. And it is about the significance of the event. The meaning that it created. And ultimately the liberty and beauty that it showed the world. Never before had something so mind boggling been accomplish, and sadly, even to this day, nothing has come close to matching it.
If forced to put a word to it, I would have to say that Man on Wire is a truly innovative and fun film to watch. It is fresh in its content and significant in its purpose. But most of all, it is true beauty that is captured in its moment and showcased on the big screen, personifying it and giving it a feeling of pure spellbinding splendor. Such a magnificence site that man may never be able to recreate, reform or redo its touching and majestic result.
