In the argot of high-wire walkers, the heart of the rope is called its soul. In 1974, Philippe Petit pulled off what was perhaps the greatest high wire coup in history. Petit rigged a wire, an inch and a half wide, half a mile in the air, between the two World Trade Towers. There was no net.

Was it legal? (No, it was not.) Was it extraordinary? Absolutely. Asked once, if he was afraid, Petit responded -- yes, but fear's a detail. The stunning story of arguably the greatest high wire walk in history is the subject of Man On Wire, which chronicles the plot, the planning, and the spectacle. The film opens in theaters in New York this week, and across the country Aug 8th. Here's a preview.