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Movies / On DVD / Wings
Wings

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Wings (1927)

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Reviews Counted:24

Fresh:23

Rotten:1

Average Rating:7.5/10

Consensus: 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.

Runtime: 2 hrs 19 mins

Genre: Action/Adventure

Synopsis: WINGS was the first film ever made that graphically captured the emotional combination of freedom and fear of flying in combat. Director William Wellman drew on his years in an elite flying... WINGS was the first film ever made that graphically captured the emotional combination of freedom and fear of flying in combat. Director William Wellman drew on his years in an elite flying squadron and pushed the cinematic technology of the day to its limit when he created this film's timeless aerial sequences. The story revolves around two young men, of different classes, who have both fallen for the same young woman before they head off to combat. Richard Arlen and Charles Rogers are well paired as they fight it out over both Clara Bow and enemy soil, and Gary Cooper makes a memorable cameo appearance, which launched his career. The emotional current created by the three stars is as intense as the film's special effects, and the result adequately reflects the lasting brutality of war. This drama won the very first Academy Award for Best Picture. [More]

Starring: Clara Bow, Charles "Buddy" Rogers, Gary Cooper, Richard Arlen

Starring: Clara Bow, Charles "Buddy" Rogers, Gary Cooper, Richard Arlen, Hedda Hopper, George Irving

Director: William Wellman

Director: William Wellman
Producer: Lucien Hubbard

[See More Credits]

Reviews for Wings

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1 - 20 (sorted by rotten rating; UK critics are listed first)
Text View | 1 2 >> >|
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The airborne stunts, even to this day, are quite breathtaking and have rarely been surpassed; just as notable are the land-based war sequences, in particular a trench that collapses with devastating consequences.

Full Review Source: Channel 4 Film | comment Comment
05/24/03
Channel 4 Film
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Clara Bow is mesmerising in this ahead-of-its-time air force drama.

Full Review Source: Empire Magazine | comment Comment
02/20/08
Empire Magazine
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Long touted as a classic by cinema historians, and justifying almost every adjectival extravagance.

Full Review Source: Time Out | comment Comment
01/26/06
Time Out
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

The audience gulped down the plot as conventional but reliable stuff, watched with waning interest while spinning, swerving, dodging planes grew into confused monotony against a background of unpicturesque ether.

Full Review Source: TIME Magazine | comment Comment
02/17/09
TIME Magazine
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Rather predictable but still quite watchable.

Full Review Source: TV Guide's Movie Guide | comment Comment
12/12/06
TV Guide's Movie Guide
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

No review available.

comment Comment
03/03/03
Brandon Judell
Brandon Judell
PopcornQ

One of the best silent films ever made.

comment Comment
10/11/02
Christopher Smith
Christopher Smith
Bangor Daily News (Maine)

No review available.

comment Comment
04/27/05
Daniel M. Kimmel
Daniel M. Kimmel
Worcester Telegram & Gazette

It won the first Academy Award for best picture back in 1927, establishing a tradition of silliness that hasn't been broken to this day, but there is some thrilling flying footage and impressively expensive spectacle.

Full Review Source: Chicago Reader | comment Comment
12/12/06
Dave Kehr
Dave Kehr
Chicago Reader

The first Oscar winner for Best Picture was also the only silent film to win the Oscar.

Full Review Source: Ozus' World Movie Reviews | comment Comment
02/29/08
Dennis Schwartz
Dennis Schwartz
Ozus' World Movie Reviews

The first collaborative effort between Holywood and the Air Force, Wings enjoyed the administration's support on the condition that it projects a positive image of the military, emphasizing male camaraderie and heroism.

Full Review Source: EmanuelLevy.Com | comment Comment
08/27/05
Emanuel Levy
Emanuel Levy
EmanuelLevy.Com

Nice. Not thrilling, but nice.

comment Comment
04/25/04
Gregory Weinkauf
Gregory Weinkauf
New Times

Clara Bow and Buddy Rogers develop their characters and bring far more life to the screen than anyone in the forgettable Bruckheimer-Bay rip-off WWII love story

Full Review Source: Old School Reviews | comment Comment
09/01/02
John A. Nesbit
John A. Nesbit
Old School Reviews

Looked at freshly, it's surprising that a lot of its best moments aren't the much-celebrated airborne ones, but the ones on the ground.

Full Review Source: Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC) | comment Comment
07/30/02
Ken Hanke
Ken Hanke
Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)

The classic war epic-meets-buddy-movie from which most others since have been derived.

comment Comment
02/13/05
Luke Y. Thompson
Luke Y. Thompson
New Times

An early buddies-go-to-war story that still echoes in today's movies.

Full Review Source: Flick Filosopher | comment Comment
03/16/04
MaryAnn Johanson
MaryAnn Johanson
Flick Filosopher

The main attraction for this movie is the aerial fight sequences. They’re some of the most exciting combat scenes I’ve seen, and this is for a film that was made in 1927!

Full Review Source: Matt's Movie Reviews | comment Comment
07/01/03
Matt Easterbrook
Matt Easterbrook
Matt's Movie Reviews

No review available.

comment Comment
09/23/05
Michael Szymanski
Michael Szymanski
Zap2it.com

The strengths of the film are the great battle sequences ... and the shining moments when the beautiful Clara Bow is onscreen.

Full Review Source: Goatdog's Movies | comment Comment
02/28/02
Michael W. Phillips, Jr.
Michael W. Phillips, Jr.
Goatdog's Movies

This feature gives one an unforgettable idea of the existence of these daring fighters.

Full Review Source: New York Times | comment Comment
05/12/01
Mordaunt Hall
Mordaunt Hall
New York Times
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by rotten rating; UK critics are listed first)
Text View | 1 2 >> >|
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