Wings (1927) | |
| Director(s) | William A. Wellman |
| Producer(s) | B.P. Schulberg (associate), Lucien Hubbard (uncredited) |
| Top Genres | Action, Drama, Romance, Silent Films, War |
| Top Topics | Air Force, Romance (Drama) |
Featured Cast:
Wings Overview:
Wings (1927) was a Drama - Romance Film directed by William A. Wellman and produced by Lucien Hubbard and B.P. Schulberg.
SYNOPSIS
This is the winner of the first Best Picture Oscar and the story of its production is by now well-known Hollywood lore, but as pure cinematic excitement, it still leaps off the screen. Directed by 28-year-old "Wild Bill" Wellman (a former flier with the Lafayette Escadrille) who marshaled the resources of the War Department to create what remains among the most thrilling aerial sequences on film. The story follows two friends as they prepare to become fliers in WWI. Rogers and Arlen leave for camp where they meet a young veteran (Cooper, in his breakthrough role), whose death doesn't quench their thirst for action. Their pal Bow follows the two to France as a Red Cross nurse so she can keep her eye on Rogers. After engaging in aerial combat, Arlen's plane is shot down over German lines. Thinking his friend is dead, Rogers rushes to his plane to wreak revenge. Meanwhile, Arlen has commandeered a German triplane and heads toward base, leading to a fateful confrontation. Wellman planted cameras in real planes so none of the action is faked; some of the fliers went on to illustrious Air Force careers. A stirring, emotional film and one of the silent greats.
(Source: available at Amazon AMC Classic Movie Companion).
.Wings was inducted into the National Film Registry in 1997.
Academy Awards 1927/28 --- Ceremony Number 1 (source: AMPAS)
| Award | Recipient | Result |
| Best Picture | Paramount Famous Lasky | Won |
BlogHub Articles:
Watching 1939: The Lion Has Wings (1939)
on Nov 14, 2019 From Comet Over HollywoodIn 2011, I announced I was trying to see every film released in 1939. This new series chronicles films released in 1939 as I watch them.?As we start out this blog feature, this section may become more concrete as I search for a common thread that runs throughout each film of the year. Right now, tha... Read full article
Only Angels Have Wings (1939): Hawks’ Greatest Adventure Movie
By 4 Star Film Fan on Aug 6, 2019 From 4 Star FilmsHoward Hawks always had a knack for creating worlds and subsequently building camaraderie between his characters simply by stringing scenes together one after the other. Only Angels Have Wings?sets?up a?premise — revolving around?a South American outpost —?then?settles in on two flyers. ... Read full article
Watching 1939: Only Angels Have Wings (1939)
on Jul 4, 2019 From Comet Over HollywoodIn 2011, I announced I was trying to see every film released in 1939. This new series chronicles films released in 1939 as I watch them.?As we start out this blog feature, this section may become more concrete as I search for a common thread that runs throughout each film of the year. Right now, tha... Read full article
Wings of Mystery ( 1963 )
By The Metzinger Sisters on Apr 12, 2019 From Silver Scenes - A Blog for Classic Film LoversThe Children's Film Foundation made a number of good little mysteries in the 1960s, one of which was Wings of Mystery, released in 1963. This British film tells the story of a brother and sister ( Hennie Scott and a young Judy Geeson ) who try to help their brother Ted ( Richard Carpenter ) when he ... Read full article
Only Angels Have Wings (1939, Howard Hawks)
By Andrew Wickliffe on Oct 17, 2018 From The Stop ButtonThe first forty-five minutes of Only Angels Have Wings is mostly continual present action. Jean Arthur arrives in a South American port town, looking around?followed by two possible ne?er-do-wells (Allyn Joslyn and Noah Beery Jr.)?and the film tracks her experience. Great direction from Hawks, beaut... Read full article
See all Wings articles
Quotes from
John "Jack" Powell: No, what?
Mary Preston: You can kiss the girl you love.
read more quotes from Wings...
Facts about
Director William A. Wellman appears in the film, in what today could be called a "cameo" (although he does "speak"). During the final battle scene Wellman, portraying a doughboy, is shot and exclaims "Atta boy. Them buzzards are some good after all."
This played for 63 weeks at its first engagement cinemas. One of the reasons why it was such a resounding success was because the public had become obsessed with aviation following Charles Lindbergh's successful transatlantic flight.read more facts about Wings...
