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Man on Wire poster

Man on Wire (2008)

“1974. 1350 feet up. The artistic crime of the century.”

7.4/10 · 999 votes 1h 34m pg-13 Documentary

#33 of 219 films from 2008 #48 of 80 in documentary

Directed by James Marsh · Written by Philippe Petit

▶ Trailer, images & where to stream

Overview

On August 7th 1974, French tightrope walker Philippe Petit stepped out on a high wire, illegally rigged between New York's World Trade Center twin towers, then the world's tallest buildings. After nearly an hour of performing on the wire, 1,350 feet above the sidewalks of Manhattan, he was arrested. This fun and spellbinding documentary chronicles Philippe Petit's "highest" achievement.

Cast

Philippe Petitas Himself
Jean François Heckelas Himself
Jean-Louis Blondeauas Himself
Annie Allixas Herself
David Formanas Himself
Alan Welneras Himself
Barry Greenhouseas Himself
Jim Mooreas Himself
Mark Lewisas Himself
Richard Nixonas Self (archive footage)

Facts

Release dateAugust 1, 2008
Runtime94 min (1h 34m) — shorter as the 2008 average of 104 min
GenresDocumentary
LanguageEN
Box office$2,957,978
IMDbtt1155592

More from James Marsh

The Theory of EverythingThe Theory of Everything2014 · ★ 7.8 · 2h 3m

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Questions

How long is Man on Wire?
Man on Wire runs 94 minutes (1h 34m).
Is Man on Wire worth watching?
TMDB users give it 7.4/10 across 999 votes, which places it #33 of 219 films released in 2008 in this index (top 85%) and #48 among 80 documentary titles.
Who directed Man on Wire?
Man on Wire was directed by James Marsh. Other well-rated titles by the same director: The Theory of Everything (2014).
Who stars in Man on Wire?
Philippe Petit as Himself; Jean François Heckel as Himself; Jean-Louis Blondeau as Himself; Annie Allix as Herself; David Forman as Himself; Alan Welner as Himself.
What is Man on Wire rated?
It carries a pg-13 certification in its home market. Ratings differ by country.
Where can I watch the trailer for Man on Wire?
Open the title in the MTDb app for trailers, images and streaming links: https://mv.peoplentools.com/titles/298784.

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Film data and images from TMDB. This product uses the TMDB API but is not endorsed or certified by TMDB. Ratings are TMDB user scores as of 2026-10-05.