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Wings
1927 144 min United States of America PG-13 12+
★8.1
Drama, Action, War, Romance
Director: William A. Wellman, Harry d'Abbadie d'Arrast
Trailers
Description
Two young men, one rich, one middle class, both in love with the same woman, become US Air Corps fighter pilots and, eventually, heroic flying aces during World War I. Devoted best friends, their mutual love of the girl eventually threatens their bond. Meanwhile, a hometown girl who's the lovestruck lifelong next door neighbor of one of them pines away.
Budget:
$2M
Worldwide:
$3.6M
Starring
Clara Bow
Actor
Charles 'Buddy' Rogers
Actor
Richard Arlen
Actor
Awards
Academy Awards 1929
— Best Visual Effects
Academy Awards 1929
— Best Picture
Key opinion
Wings is widely celebrated as a foundational blockbuster that set the standard for epic filmmaking through its groundbreaking aerial photography and massive scale. While critics acknowledge the plot can feel melodramatic or clichéd, the film remains a vital piece of cinema history that continues to captivate modern audiences with its technical ambition and sincerity.
| Cinematography | The aerial cinematography and stunt work provide a visceral sense of realism that remains impressive even by modern standards. | |
| Production | The massive production scale, involving authentic military equipment and hundreds of extras, established the blueprint for the Hollywood blockbuster. | |
| Screenplay | The screenplay relies on a simplistic, occasionally clichéd love triangle that serves as a somewhat uneven emotional anchor for the war narrative. | |
| Acting | Viewers are divided on the acting style; some find the expressive, stylized performances essential and charismatic, while others perceive them as primitive or exaggerated overacting. | |
| Runtime | The 2.5-hour runtime is viewed by many as a rewarding experience of historical scale, though some find the pacing inconsistent and the tragic beats underdeveloped. |