A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings
5.2
An elderly man with wings is blown off course during a tropical storm in this symbolic fantasy. The Old Man lands near a Caribbean island where a poor family gives him shelter in a chicken coop. Father Gonzaga is the skeptical priest who rushes to damn the creature. Soon the Old Man is the subject of curiosity seekers as Elisinda and Pelayo start charging admission. A traveling carnival of human oddities camps near the Old Man as people flock to see the show. The Old Man is reduced to being an unwanted pet, and after six years, he mends his wings and flies away. Nudity, simulated sex with a spider woman, and the ugliness of human exploitation definitely put this fantasy in a category not for children.
Where to watch
Not streaming anywhere
Not on any streaming service in United States, and not available to rent.
Your rating
Your review
Cast
51 people
Fernando Birri
A very old man with enormous wings
Also in
The Compass Rose
Tie Your Plow to a Star
Daisy Granados
Elisenda
Known for
Memories of Underdevelopment
7 Days in Havana
Asdrúbal Meléndez
Pelayo
Also in
The Moving-Picture Man
Oriana
Adolfo Llauradó
Lucky O'Capitone
Also in
The First Charge of the Machete
Lucía
Silvia Planas
Eulalia
Known for
Death of a Bureaucrat
Luis Alberto Ramírez
Father Gonzaga
Also in
Patty Candela
Quartier nègre
Márcia Barreto
Spider Woman
Also in
Santa Marta Fabril
Habanera
Pablo Milanés
Self
Also in
The First Charge of the Machete
Ana Belén y Víctor Manuel: mucho más que dos
María Luisa Mayor
Myrurgia
No other roles listed
Parmenia Silva
Pìa
Also in
Cuba Dances
Habanera
Marabú
Talia
No other roles listed
René Martinez
Usnavy
No other roles listed
Fernando Birri Director · Gabriel García Márquez Writer José María Vitier Composer
First release August 29, 1988 · Produced in Cuba, Italy, Spain · Production ICAIC, El Laboratorio de Poéticas Cinematográficas de Fernando Birri
Production
TVE
Production
ICAIC
Production
El Laboratorio de Poéticas Cinematográficas de Fernando Birri
Production
Fundación del Nuevo Cine Latinoamericano
Production
Cuba · Italy · Spain
Produced in
Languages
Original title
Un señor muy viejo con unas alas enormes
Original language
Spanish
Spoken on screen
Spanish
Release dates
Italy · August 29, 1988
Premiere · Source: IMDB (Venice)
No release date listed for United States.
More from Fernando Birri
Other films they directed, best known first.
If you liked A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings
Picks that share its genres, themes, cast and crew.
