Best Picture: "Wings," 1928

Movie Stats:

Released 1929 (USA) [Not really sure how it won the 1928 Best Picture Oscar if it was released in 1929, but this is what IMDB says.]

American, in English (movie is silent, but all of the scene cards are in English, with a few exceptions)

Director – William A. Wellman

Stars – Clara Bow, Charles “Buddy” Rogers, Richard Arlen, Gary Cooper (in a very brief role; when I looked up the cast list after the fact, I thought to myself, "Oh yeah, I thought that guy looked familiar!")

Plot Summary:

Mary (Clara Bow) is in love with the boy next door, Jack (Charles Rogers). Jack, in turn, is in love with Sylvia (Jobyna Ralston), who happens to be in love with rich boy Dave (Richard Alen). Fortunately, Dave returns Sylvia’s love, so at least someone is in love with the right person here. However, the year is 1917. The Great War is raging. When both young men join the Army to become fighter pilots, what will happen to their friendship and their loves?

Bad Stuff:

It felt really long, and it is long. The running time is 144 minutes.

The “dog fights” are numerous and interminable. I realize that these were probably amazing and thrilling back in the 1920s, but to modern eyes it’s biplanes flying around with fake plane sounds and fake plane after fake plane spiraling to the ground, sprouting a trail of flame.

I don’t have a problem with silent movies, but the convention of the genre was to overact. I get this. However, this tendency toward overacting made a lot of scenes that were supposed to be serious and moving unintentionally hilarious. In truth, I found myself laughing at most of the scenes where people were dying. I’m certain they weren’t supposed to be funny.

Apparently, ladies cry and simper a lot, especially when the men in their lives aren't doing what they want.

Good Stuff:

Hoo boy, was Charles Rogers good-looking back in the day. Clara Bow wasn’t bad to look at either.

The special effects were a lot better than I was expecting.

Very unexpected nudity (even a booby shot)! I’d forgotten that “morality” standards weren’t set until the 1940s or so.

I liked the basic, underlying story about growing up, becoming a man, learning the true nature of friendship, and figuring out what love means.

Slashy slash slash. The two male leads seemed totally gay for each other (the husband agreed with me on this). I don’t have a problem with that; I consider it a plus. I could see where other people would disagree, though.

The Verdict:

When I think about the sensibilities of the time this came out, I can definitely understand why it was a popular movie. Despite my gripes, I did like it. It might have made me laugh unintentionally, but it made me laugh intentionally as well. I was mostly entertained by it for 2+ hours. I’d probably never watch it again, but I wouldn’t discourage someone else from doing so.

I give this movie 3 stars.

Since it’s been so long since I’ve updated on this project, here’s a quick recap of my ratings for the other Best Picture Oscar winners after this & up through 1932:

1929 – “The Broadway Melody,” 2.5 stars

1930 – “All Quiet on the Western Front,” 3 stars

1931 – “Cimarron,” 2.5 stars

1932 – “Grand Hotel,” 3.5 stars