An exuberant documentary about the illegal 1974 Twin Towers high-wire crossing by Philippe Petit and his team of friends, Man On Wire is full of excellent interviews, photos, and videos taken at the time. This is lots of fun.
I have had Man On Wire on my list to watch for a very long time. I’m not sure why I never got around to watching it, but I kept putting it off. I knew a little bit about it and I’d heard of the film The Walk, which was inspired by this situation, but it was only now that I finally hit the play button. I’m going to tell you, don’t do what I did. I should have watched this years ago.
Man On Wire is a fascinating documentary that centers around Philippe Petit and his illegal high-wire crossing of the Twin Towers in NYC in 1974. Many people were involved in putting it together, getting passes to get into the building, and planning the caper, and they are all interviewed about their participation and feelings on the situation.
This is a great ride. You go into the film knowing that Petit ultimately walks a wire between the Twin Towers, but it is seemingly impossible – to you as well as all of the people he convinced to help him.
He first got this idea when he heard that the Twin Towers were being built. It was as if someone showed him the holy grail – he had to have it. He didn’t know how, but it was all he could think about.
And that is the main takeaway from this film. Petit was a kid with an idea, no matter how old he got. This was his life’s quest, and as he aged and developed a little more insight, he only dug in deeper.
It is not a shock whatsoever that Petit got a team of people to help him. He is an excellent storyteller, with all of the excitement and childlike charisma that will make you agreeable. It’s like he is planning the most fun bank robbery in history. We can do this guys, come on! Even you are like, yeah, I’m here for this ride. Would I have said yes? With this guy? Maybe.
While there are many, many interviews with friends and colleagues, Petit’s interviews are the most visual. His descriptions are incredibly vivid as far as the excitement around each moment of what was happening. He tells the stories about hiding in the unfinished floors of one tower and listening to each other breathe for hours while they waited for the security guard to finish his rounds. The flick of a lighter, the puffing of a cigarette – he is reliving it as he tells you.
The score makes the film feel like an exciting adventure as well. It is constantly uplifting and builds the ongoing excitement.
This feat is really one that you have to hear from the source. In the end, even the policemen interviewed were impressed, and how could you not be? This man had the insane notion to walk a wire between the two farthest towers to date. And somehow – which he and his friends will tell you about in Man On Wire – he did it. Even better, he’s still alive. Such a great film, watch it.
Runtime: 94 minutes
Motion Picture Rating: PG-13
Languages Spoken In The Film: English and French (with English subtitles)
Should You Watch It? Yes
Did I Cry? Nope
My Rating: 4/5 Stars
Available: Free on Tubi or for Amazon Prime members, to rent on Prime Video, or may be available for free on other streaming platforms
I have had Man On Wire on my list to watch for a very long time. I’m not sure why I never got around to watching it, but I kept putting it off. I knew a little bit about it and I’d heard of the film The Walk, which was inspired by this situation, but it was only now that I finally hit the play button. I’m going to tell you, don’t do what I did. I should have watched this years ago.
