Subsequent war epics may have borrowed heavily from the original Best Picture winner, but they've all lacked Clara Bow's luminous screen presence and William Wellman's deft direction. Read critic reviews
Wings
1927, War/History, 2h 19m
60 Reviews 2,500+ RatingsWhat to know
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Movie Info
With World War I afoot, David Armstrong (Richard Arlen) and Jack Powell (Charles "Buddy" Rogers) join the military with an eye toward flying American fighter planes. They leave behind Mary Preston (Clara Bow), a local girl who's in love with David but committed to Jack. Dispatched to France as newly minted pilots, the men take to the skies in one of the war's climactic air battles, and as frantic Mary longs for the safe return of both men, one pays the ultimate price for his bravery.
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Rating: PG-13 (War Violence)
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Genre: War, History, Drama
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Director: William A. Wellman
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Producer: Lucien Hubbard, Adolph Zukor, Jesse L. Lasky
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Writer: John Monk Saunders, Hope Loring, Louis D. Lighton, Julian Johnson
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Release Date (Theaters): original
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Release Date (Streaming):
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Runtime:
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Critic Reviews for Wings
Audience Reviews for Wings
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Wings is something to behold only because it holds the distinction of being the very first Oscar winner for Best Picture. Unfortunately it doesn't hold up anything more than being an historic curiosity. This tale of WWI eventually is done much better in subsequent Hollywood offerings.
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So this was the original Best Picture winner...not a bad start. Some of the special effects in this film were very well made, and the story isn't bad either, as far as war epics go.
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I can't believe I forgot to rate this movie! I saw it a long time ago on TV, and I just loved it. I want to see it again, though, since I don't remember much of it.
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Part of what makes this film so important is that it was the first film to win the Academy Award for Best Picture. Since I haven't seen the other films it was up against, I can't really say if it deserved it or not, but it is still a decent film. Part of its impact is lost on modern audiences, namely because this is from 1927, it's silent, and in sepia tones, as opposed to being modern, cgi-heavy, in color, and loaded up with balls to the wall sound effects. It's got a nicely hauntng and appropriate pipe organ score, but that's it as far as sound goes. The story is really basic, and something of a Top Gun for the 20s. it follows two WWI aviators and the girl they're leaving behind as they go off to fight the war. The plot isn't what makes this film special. That honor belongs to the awesome (even now) aerial combat scenes. They are staged well, look cool, and really make you appreciate the ahrd work and effort that goes into practical effects, as well as the touch of movie magic that is all but absent in this day and age. This is sappy and overlong, but still very entertaining and overwhelmingly charming. Clara Bow, the "It" girl of that era gets top billing, but that's misleading sicne she's not really the focus. She does good with what she's given though. The film belongs to Richard Arlen and Charles "Buddy" Rogers, and they're decent. THere's also a nice and important cameo from Gary Cooper, so that's cool. All in all, a good film, but maybe not the epic masterpiece some have hailed it as being. Well, maybe not a masterpiece in this day and age, but still pretty good.
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