Alice In The Cities (Alice In Den Städten)

ALICE IN THE CITIES

A FILM BY WIM WENDERS

It just never shows what you saw!

Shoot it!

Shoot down everything you can't stand.

Talking to yourself...

Actually, it's more like listening than talking.

I've never heard that to the end!

FLIGHT CONTROLLERS ON STRIKE

I'm not finished yet.

I took a lot of pictures and notes.

I've got enough material.

You weren't supposed to take pictures. You were supposed to write a story.

Yes, I know.

But the story is about things you can see.

About images and signs.

You've been on the road for four weeks now,

and all you've got is a bunch of pictures.

You were supposed to write something.

I could have gotten pictures somewhere else.

You were supposed to write about the American landscape.

I've already gotten three telexes from the publisher in Munich,

and I look like an idiot. So what do I do now?

I'm not done yet. That's all.

When you drive around America, something happens to you.

The images you see change you.

And the reason I took so many photos...

is part of the story.

I can't explain it now.

Tell that to the publisher.

You won't meet the deadline. That's all I can say.

I'll finish the story in Germany. I fly to Munich today.

Do you have money for the ticket?

Just enough for the ticket.

But I meant to ask you for an advance.

My dear friend...

you won't get a penny from me.

And take your picture postcards with you.

I'll tell the publisher you're coming back to Munich

and that I've got nothing to do with this anymore.

Because of the flight controllers' strike.

I read about it but didn't realize there were no flights to Germany.

But I must fly back today!

She just suggested a flight to Amsterdam.

Of all places! I was in Amsterdam long enough.

That's the only way.

Can you ask when the next flight to Amsterdam is today?

Tomorrow afternoon.

We can't go till tomorrow, and only to Amsterdam.

We haven't been there in a long time.

Are you from Holland?

We lived there.

Could you book the flight for me?

My English is so bad.

Your first name.

Lisa and Alice.

Would you wait with us?

Otherwise I don't know how I'll stand it.

I can do that, but I'm not very entertaining.

You could be mute for all I care.

What does he want from us?

Why?

What do you have against him? He's quite nice.

I don't have anything against him. But what does he want?

He just helped us at the flight desk.

You could be a little nicer.

If you spoke English, everything would be different.

That was quick.

- Nobody home. - Who wasn't home?

- Have you decided? - No hamburgers!

- What do you want, then? - A hot dog.

I hope the hotel isn't too expensive.

No, I used to stay there myself.

Why are you in such a hurry to leave?

I want to get back to Germany.

I just broke up with a man.

But I can't speak about it now.

- See you tomorrow at the airport. - Don't you want to have breakfast with us?

I'll call you tomorrow morning here at the hotel.

Sure?

I called a few times.

Aren't you well?

No.

I got completely lost.

It was a horrible journey.

Once you leave New York City, nothing changes anymore.

It all looks the same.

You can't imagine anything anymore.

Above all, you can't imagine any change.

I became estranged from myself.

All I could imagine was going on and on like this forever.

Some nights, I was sure I would go back the next morning.

But then I'd keep on driving...

listening to that vulgar radio,

and every night in a motel

that looked just like all the others before.

I'd watch that barbarous television.

I didn't know what hit me.

You haven't known that for a long time now.

You don't have to travel across America for that.

That happens when you lose all sense of your own self.

And you lost that long ago.

That's why you always need proof,

proof you still exist.

Your stories and your experiences -

you treat them like raw eggs.

As if you were the only one to experience things.

And that's why you keep taking pictures.

They're something you can hold on to,

more evidence that it was you who saw these things.

And that's why you came here.

To have someone listen to you,

to you and your stories that you're only telling to yourself.

But that's not enough in the long run, my dear.

That's right.

Taking pictures is a way of proving things.

Waiting for the image to develop,

I was often filled with a strange unease.

I could hardly wait to compare the picture with reality.

But comparing them wouldn't reassure me either.

As the still images were always overtaken by reality...

You can't stay here!

...I photographed even more obsessively.

- You're really beside yourself! - That's why I only took Polaroids...

I don't want you to stay here, understand?

What?

Are you serious?

Yes, my friend.

I can't help you.

Though I'd like to comfort you.

I don't understand.

I don't know how to live either.

Nobody has shown me either.

In this city...

when you reach an intersection...

it's like...

entering a clearing in the woods.

I have to get a room here at the hotel too.

- Have a look! - My friend...

I'll bet you I can blow it out from here.

Never!

Watch.

Show me your watch.

You cheated!

To make up for that, you'll take me there tomorrow.

Go to bed now.

Why don't you stay here? There's plenty of room.

During the last two years,

we've lived in four different cities.

Where?

Where?

Now he's been working here for three months...

and wants to settle in America for good.

But I don't think he believes I'm serious.

He expects me to come back tonight with my suitcase,

cry all night, and everything will be fine again.

He isn't Alice's father?

Alice told me a joke this afternoon. Do you know it?

How do four elephants fit into a red Volkswagen?

I can't sleep with you

But I'd like to share the bed with you.

What are you writing?

“What's so barbaric about this TV

is not that it chops up everything and interrupts it with ads,

though that's bad enough.

Far worse is that everything it shows turns into advertising too,

ads for the status quo.

All these TV images come down to the same common, ugly message,

a kind of vicious contempt.

No image leaves you in peace. They all want something from you.”

When I told Hans I wanted to break up...

he said everything would be fine once we had a place in New York.

He should stay in Europe if he doesn't want to lose you.

He says he'd rather kill himself.

I'll meet you at the Empire State Building at 1:00 p.m.”

Your jacket is much too large.

What have you got in there? Hot dogs?

So that's how it is!

No need to wait here any longer.

Do you have another dime for me?

No, we need to go back to the hotel now.

Mommy isn't coming anymore?

Hey, you mustn't do that!

The lady left the hotel one hour ago.

“L can't leave yet. Hans is desperate. I can't leave him alone now.

Please take Alice with you or I'll never get away from here.

Wait for me in Amsterdam.

I'll be there the day after tomorrow.”

Who wrote to you?

- Your mother. - What did she write?

That she'll join us in Amsterdam.

I saw all that when we got here.

Do you have all you need in your suitcase?

Do you like flying?

I like the food. It's nicely wrapped up.

I was looking for you!

Can't you bring me something to eat?

Let's go. That's our flight.

Are you looking forward to going home?

I don't know.