AN L.A. STORY TURNS `WINGS' INTO `ANGELS'.

Byline: Bob Strauss Daily News Film Critic

Not many existential German art movies get morphed into commercial Hollywood romances. Wim Wenders' 1988 masterpiece ``Wings of Desire'' is that rare lucky one to make the transition. Whether that was good or bad luck is a matter of perspective.

``City of Angels'' is decent enough, lyrical fantasy hokum; it's more like a soulful, less lively variation on the ``Ghost'' approach to otherworldly love stories than a philosophical piece. Indeed, if Wenders' thoughtful take on psychic pain and yearning didn't have the trendy, salable angels angle, ``City'' never would've been made.

Actually, the American film plays more like a sequel than a remake (and a better one than Wenders' own ``Faraway, So Close!''). Even though the new movie follows the basic idea of the first one - that unseen, though sometimes felt, angels are always at our side, listening sympathetically to our tortured inner monologues and reassuringly escorting us, when the time comes, to the next world - it's primarily a full-length version of ``Wings' '' last act, in which the angel gives up his celestial powers in order to experience terrestrial love.

This time, our flyboy is named Seth, and he's played by Nicolas Cage at his most puppyish. Seth's been doing death-watch duty for lord knows how many millennia but, for some reason, is suddenly smitten by heart surgeon Maggie Rice's (Meg Ryan) deep emotional connection to her lifesaving duties.

Gradually, Seth makes himself appear to Maggie, who is distraught over the loss of a patient. It's a bit unclear, in this stretch, what the angels' capabilities are; they can't be seen or heard but Maggie and Seth converse, they can't touch but Seth moves books around.

Anyway, Seth eventually gets some advice from a heart patient (Dennis Franz) who traded his wings for earthly pleasures years ago; which, basically, boils down to ``take the plunge.'' Once Seth decides to go the full monty into mortality, he runs into a few problems - like, for instance, Maggie's engaged - but generally goes around with the same beatific expression, whether he's getting mugged or tasting fruit for the first time.

Though more poetic than your standard studio fare, ``City of Angels'' inevitably vulgarizes the source material. And while you can forgive feelings overcoming ideas in the Hollywood version of this story, it's a little harder to excuse the melodramatic, strangely punishing turn Dana Stevens' script takes toward the end. You see it coming (literally) a mile away, and it just makes you long for the better climax a more metaphysical approach to the material surely would have inspired.

Which is not to say that ``City of Angels'' is devoid of inspiration, even if director Brad Silberling's only other big-screen credit is ``Casper.'' A lot of sly wit and genuine affection went into transferring the angels' eye view of Earth from politically divided Berlin to lifestyle-stratified L.A. Watching Seth and his contented immortal pal Cassiel (``Homicide's'' Andre Braugher) discuss fine cosmic points atop a Marlboro Man billboard is, for some reason, a sublimely droll experience.

Ryan does her usual expert interpretation of a tough muffin as the doctor whose scientific worldview can't satisfy her spiritual needs. But the performance feels like she's pretending to do something new and significant, not actually achieving it.

For the most part, ``City of Angels'' itself twinkles with a similar, gossamer aura. It leaves you thinking you've felt something pure and beautiful, but not quite sure that it really happened.

THE FACTS

The film: ``City of Angels'' (PG-13; language, nudity, sex, mild violence).

The stars: Nicolas Cage, Meg Ryan, Dennis Franz, Andre Braugher.

Behind the scenes: Directed by Brad Silberling. Written by Dana Stevens, based on the film ``Wings of Desire,'' directed by Wim Wenders. Produced by Dawn Steel and Charles Roven. Released by Warner Bros.

Running time: Two hours.

Playing: Citywide.

Our rating: Two and One Half Stars.

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Photo

Photo: Heart surgeon Maggie Rice (Meg Ryan) prompts angel Seth (Nicolas Cage) to give up immortality for a life on Earth in ``City of Angels.''