Wings(1927)

Wings the silent movie from 1927 not the TV show from the 90s. It took a long time to get this movie. It is one of two movies that won best picture that is not available on DVD. I had to go to the library and order the VHS. Took over a month till they finally called me and said they had it. I was so excited went down and got it. When I finally put it in the VCR it wouldn't work. I wasn't sure if it was the VCR or something else. When I looked at the tape I realized that it was broken. So, I had to bring it back to the library and hope that they could get a copy from someplace else. Lucky for me they could and it came in alot faster then a month. So, finally got everything working and sat down for a nice 2 hour silent film.

The movie is about 2 guys from the same town that want to be pilots. They come from different backgrounds, David is a rich upper class from a very proper family and Jack is a middle class adventurous day dreamer. They each have a love interest. Mary loves Jack and follows him around. Jack pretty much treats her like a little sister. Sylvia is the girl from the city that likes David, but both David and Jack are in love with her. Basically David and Jack dont get along real well and don't like each other right from the start. But they both join the Air Force and become friends while training. Then they go off to fight in WWI and the girls are home waiting for them. Mary becomes a nurse and drives trucks in the war. During the war David is captured by the Germans and steals one of their planes to escape. But he is shot down by Jack who doesnt realize it's David till after he crashes and dies. Obviously these events changes everybody especially David who has to live with the fact that he killed his best friend.

The movie wasn't too bad. Its actually an interesting story that doesn't seem very original today but is not badly done. It is one of two movies that won best picture that is about WWI All Quiet on the Western Front is the other one. The action wasn't too bad. They actually made the actors fly the planes with the cameras attached to the front of the plane. So, the actors had to operate the camera, act, and fly a plane all at the same time. Very impressive. Interestingly enough the first movie to win Best Picture was a war movie. I think it kind of set a precedent. Probably more war movies have won best picture then any other genre,including the most recent movie to win The Hurt Locker.

One of the other things that I found interesting is a similarity along with Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans which won Best Picture, Unique and Artistic Production. They both have two women in them, one from a small town and the other from the big bad city who tries to steal the other girls guy. Not sure what they had against girls from the city back then but seemed to be a common theme. The girls from the city were always portrayed as rich and beautiful and the poor girl next door cant compete with them.

Other facts of note
Only silent film to win best picture even though the Jazz Singer(the first Talkie) came out the same year it was not even nominated for Best Picture.
One of only 3 movies to win Best Picture without being nominated for Best Director
A young Gary Cooper had a small role in the movie.