Wings (1927)

My Review

The Best Picture of 1927-1928 is…..”Wings.” This romantic World War I movie tells the story of two pilots in love with the same woman from their home town. Director William A. Wellman (“A Star Is Born” 1937) put together a high quality drama from the screenplay by Hope Loring and Louis D. Lighton. This was the first Academy Award for Best Picture winner, and the only silent movie to win the Best Picture Oscar. “Wings” also won the Academy Award for Best Engineering (Special) Effects.

The stars of the show are Clara Bow, Charles “Buddy” Rogers, and Richard Arlen, making up the love triangle. Co-stars include Hedda Hopper and Gary Cooper, who made his feature film debut here. He became an instant star from a two minute scene. Before “Wings,” Cooper was an extra and stunt performer. The watchable “Wings” was a hit at the box office for producers Jesse Lasky and Adolph Zukor and Paramount Famous Lasky Corporation (later Paramount Pictures). It was filmed at an Army base in San Antonio, Texas.