On W List of Movie Reviews
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Wings (1927)
Rate:
3
Viewed:
9/25
9/25:
Wings is the first Best Picture winner ever, and that's the only reason why I decided to watch it.
The first hour goes well with excellent photography. Then come problems...and more problems. There are too many
battle scenes, enough to leave me feeling nauseous. Therefore, 144 minutes is too much. An hour less will do.
There's no reason to keep repeating the same stuff at least ten times if I get the point already. The inclusion
of El Brendle as Herman Schwimpf for comic relief is ill-advised.
I've never seen Clara Bow act before in spite of reading that she was the "It Girl" for so long. Well, she plays a
useless character who's only interested in whether or not she'll have Jack. Who cares if David is dead? As long
as Jack is alive, Mary is cool with it. Charles Rogers isn't likeable while Richard Arlen has only one
pose to show off.
While watching Wings, I thought how much better Hell's Angels
was. They're about the same, but the latter has more to offer with tons of aerial action. Plus, Clara
Bow has nothing on Jean Harlow. Unsurprisingly, Harry Perry handled the cinematography work for both films. By
the way, when a pilot entered the tent to have a chat with David and Jack before getting himself killed, I
was like, "Is that Gary Cooper?" And yep...it's him.
All in all, the first true Best Picture winner is
All Quiet on the Western Front, not Wings or
The Broadway Melody.