Wings (1927)
Tomatometer
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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... [More]
Starring: Clara Bow, Charles "Buddy" Rogers, Gary Cooper, Richard Arlen
Director: William Wellman
Reviews for Wings
| Tomatometer | Critic | Review | Category |
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 3/5 |
Clara Bow is mesmerising in this ahead-of-its-time air force drama. Full Review |
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Long touted as a classic by cinema historians, and justifying almost every adjectival extravagance. Full Review |
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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 |
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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 |
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B |
The first Oscar winner for Best Picture was also the only silent film to win the Oscar. Full Review |
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There not being so much of Clara Bow in the picture, or a straining for her to turn on that 'it' personality, she gives an all around corking performance. Full Review |
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3/4 |
Rather predictable but still quite watchable. Full Review |
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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 |
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2.5/4 |
Above par effects (for the time) matched with decent performances make for a modestly entertaining picture. Full Review |
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5/5 |
No review available.
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3/4 |
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 |
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4/5 |
No review available.
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5/5 |
The classic war epic-meets-buddy-movie from which most others since have been derived.
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3/5 |
Nice. Not thrilling, but nice.
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An early buddies-go-to-war story that still echoes in today's movies. Full Review |
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4/5 |
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 |
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5/5 |
No review available.
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3/5 |
No review available.
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5/5 |
One of the best silent films ever made.
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B+ |
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 |
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