By Megan Hardy
Arizona Daily Wildcat
April 10, 1998

Earth Angel

Most people who believe in and perceive angels often grasp at the image of a plump little cherub with rosy cheeks, feathery wings and a tiny harp. These immaculate beings are thought of as guardians, consciences, maybe even loved ones who passed from Earth.

In "City Of Angels," director Brad Silberling's new romance starring Meg Ryan and Nicolas Cage, angels are quite the contrary. They roam about the town, dressed in full black attire, and these immortal spirits are quite different from humans. In fact, they never were human at all. Angels encompass an existence all their own.

These celestial creatures spend their limitless days watching the sun rise and set, although it is quite a different experience, for they hear music in the rise and fall of the sun. They hang out in libraries, for it is the easiest place to read people's thoughts. Angels aid in the living and dying of mortals.

Academy Award-winner Nicolas Cage plays Seth, a restless angel on duty in Los Angeles. Cage's unforgettable eyes and dramatic facial expressions, as well as expressive body language make him a believable angel and bring this beautiful character to life.

Meg Ryan, two-time Golden Globe-nominee, plays Dr. Maggie Rice, a pragmatic heart surgeon at a Los Angeles hospital. Ryan's authentic screen personality is perfect for the role of Maggie, a doctor who is ruled by her head and not her heart.

Seth comes to aid a dying man who passes away on Maggie's operating table. Maggie, following a routine surgery, is deeply shaken by the loss of the patient. She held the patient's heart in her hands, trying to bring him back, but it was too late. Seth is drawn to Maggie immediately and wants to help her overcome her personal battle.

Andre Braugher, of the hit series "Homocide," plays Cassiel, Seth's content celestial comrade who is comfortable with the harmonious life he leads, hanging around on the tops of billboards and skyscrapers and listening to the sun. Cassiel informs Seth that angels can be seen by humans, but only if the angel wants to become visible. Seth takes the unusual step of becoming visible to Maggie, changing from spirit form to a mysterious stranger that intrigues and captivates the young doctor.

Dennis Franz, from TV's "NYPD Blue," plays Nathaniel Messinger, a patient of Maggie's who knows Seth's secret. Messinger's hedonistic character is a free spirit who inhales all that he can from life. Franz brings his personality to life in the movie as a warm, loving man with a hearty laugh and a bag full of jokes.

Seth battles with the frustration of being a celestial spirit. He wants to see the beauty of color, and wants to taste the sweetness of a pear. Seth is also discontented with the fact that he cannot experience touch or feeling. His partial occupancy in the human world causes him to consider becoming a human himself, trading immortality for the harsh, yet beautiful, chaos of living. His love for Maggie only intensifies this uncertainty.

Maggie goes through a slue of emotions and self-realizations as Seth becomes a bigger part of her life. She questions her own belief systems, and contemplates the reality that she isn't in control. She's afraid of the love and emotion that she feels for this beautiful man, and confused as the world as she knows it changes because of one patient, and one stranger, dressed all in black.

The romantic screenplay, written by Dana Stevens, is based on Wim Wenders' highly acclaimed 1987 German film, "Wings of Desire." The adaptation to 1990's Los Angeles brings an interesting perspective to one of the largest cities in the country. The film uses aerial views and wind to capture an angel's point of view, and slow motion to make Seth and the angels appear more graceful. The picturesque Lake Tahoe and Malibu beaches add to the romantic and peaceful cinematography of this otherworldly love story.