Alice in den Städten (1974)

User Rating:

7.7/10   

Director:

Wim Wenders

Writers:

Wim Wenders (writer)
Veith von Fürstenberg (writer)

Release Date:

17 May 1974 (West Germany)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

German journalist Philip Winter has a case of writer's block when trying to write an article about the United States...

Plot Keywords:

Stranger | Odor | Road Movie | El Train | Journalist

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Rüdiger Vogler	...	Phil Winter
Yella Rottländer	...	Alice
Lisa Kreuzer	...	Alice's Mother (as Elisabeth Kreuzer)
Edda Köchl	...	Friend in New York
Ernest Boehm	...	Publisher
Sam Presti	...	Car Dealer
Lois Moran	...	Airport Hostess
Didi Petrikat	...	Friend in Frankfurt
Hans Hirschmüller	...	Police Officer
Sibylle Baier	...	The Woman

Also Known As:

Alice in the Cities (USA)

Runtime:

110 min

Country:

West Germany

Language:

German | English | Dutch

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Argentina:13 | Singapore:PG | UK:U | West Germany:6

Filming Locations:

Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, Netherlands

Company:

Filmverlag der Autoren

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Wanderlust (2006) (TV)

Soundtrack:

On the Road Again

a charming film, Paper Moon fans might enjoy

This is easily one of Wenders' most accessible films of the 70s (along with the American Friend, 1976). Alice in den Stätden was originally released in the states after Paper Moon (Ryan, Tatum O'Neal) premiered and bears a slight resemblance to the story. In the case of Alice, this little girl gets stuck with a reluctant photojournalist and together they cross Germany in search of her grandmother's house. It differs from Wenders' other road movies in that it's plot line actually has some element of suspense to keep the momentum forward.

It's very entertaining for the charm of the characters, especially Yella Rottländer as Alice. She shines here as a very self-possessed, precocious youngster who disrupts the life of the familiar, detached, angst-ridden protagonist, Philip (Rudiger Volger).

There are small details captured in this film that are noteworthy to fans as well as casual viewers. The old organ at Shea Stadium (long since removed) is briefly shown in one early scene . The monorail in Wüppertal is featured in another sequence (one of the first monorails built). There is a lot of urban decay documented in their travels, particularly in the Ruhr district scenes but all of that can't detract from the humor of the 2 lead characters' playful interactions. The shot of Philip and Alice mimicking each other doing calisthenics offsets all the dreariness and alienation in one scene. The optimistic ending is a very satisfying one. This is a beautiful gem of a film if you can find it.