Two young men from the same town but different social classes end up as fighter pilots in WW1. Jack Preston is a keen auto mechanic, building and modifying cars. David Armstrong comes from a wealthy family. They are both in love with the same woman, Sylvia. Her heart belongs to David but she doesn't let Jack know and plays along with his infatuation. Meanwhile, Jack's neighbour, Mary, is deeply in love with him but he just views her as a friend. WW1 interrupts the romantic entanglements as Jack and David enlist in the US Army Air Service (Air Service of the AEF at the time). They are initially bitter enemies, due to them both vying for Sylvia's affections. Over time, however, they become very good friends. They are both posted to the same fighter squadron in France, where being a fighter pilot means every day could easily be your last.
Incredibly gritty and accurate war drama, especially for its time. Doesn't glamorize war at all and shows the dangers and bloodshed very well. Helped by some superb action scenes. With no CGI available, the staging of the dogfights and massive land battles must have been a huge undertaking. It is worthwhile in the end as the action scenes are incredibly realistic and engaging.
Solid, emotional plot that ties everything up rather well. While this is almost as much a romantic drama as a war drama, the movie doesn't overdo the schmaltz.
Great work Charles Rogers and Richard Arlen as Jack and David, respectively. Clara Bow shows why she was THE actress of the late 1920s, giving a wonderful performance as Mary. Incredibly gorgeous, while absolutely nailing the free-spirited, self-reliant tomboyishness of Mary.
The cast also includes Gary Cooper in a minor role.
The nuances of silent movies do take a bit of getting used to, initially. You keep expecting to see captions for dialogue, but often none come. This is because, other than for important or scene- setting dialogue, the director leaves it to the viewer to figure out what was being said. The performances are much more physically expressive than what we would expect today, to convey what is being said and what is going on.
Wings won the first ever Best Picture Oscar, in 1929. Technically the award was shared, as in that year (and that year only) Best Picture was split into two categories, Best Picture, Production and Best Picture, Unique and Artistic Production.
Incredibly gritty and accurate war drama, especially for its time. Doesn't glamorize war at all and shows the dangers and bloodshed very well. Helped by some superb action scenes. With no CGI available, the staging of the dogfights and massive land battles must have been a huge undertaking. It is worthwhile in the end as the action scenes are incredibly realistic and engaging.
Solid, emotional plot that ties everything up rather well. While this is almost as much a romantic drama as a war drama, the movie doesn't overdo the schmaltz.
Great work Charles Rogers and Richard Arlen as Jack and David, respectively. Clara Bow shows why she was THE actress of the late 1920s, giving a wonderful performance as Mary. Incredibly gorgeous, while absolutely nailing the free-spirited, self-reliant tomboyishness of Mary.
The cast also includes Gary Cooper in a minor role.
The nuances of silent movies do take a bit of getting used to, initially. You keep expecting to see captions for dialogue, but often none come. This is because, other than for important or scene- setting dialogue, the director leaves it to the viewer to figure out what was being said. The performances are much more physically expressive than what we would expect today, to convey what is being said and what is going on.
Wings won the first ever Best Picture Oscar, in 1929. Technically the award was shared, as in that year (and that year only) Best Picture was split into two categories, Best Picture, Production and Best Picture, Unique and Artistic Production.