Wings (1927)
This week we watched the very first Academy Award for Best Picture1 winner: Wings. Strap on your aviator goggles and read on. All set? O.K.!
Previews
What, if anything, did we know about this coming attraction before we watched?
Ellen: Never heard of her. I suppose if you strike up an interest in Best Pictures, then you eventually wonder which was the first winner. Then you learn it was called Outstanding Picture at the time. Then you feel obligated to test your “movie buff” mettle2 on silent films. Then, if you’re us, you fall into such a rabbit hole that you eventually start a newsletter.
Tyler: This at least feels much more productive than most of my other rabbit holes. And despite being a movie lover, I am not a movie historian so I had no idea what this movie was when we picked it, just that it was the first winner. I was quite relieved when I found out it had nothing to do with birds due to my minor (but very healthy!) fear of birds, which I blame on Hitchcock’s The Birds and years of dealing with overeager seagulls down the shore. I’ve heard of Clara Bow before … do I get partial credit for that?
Plots & Feelings
This one’s pretty self-explanatory.
Short Version (courtesy of IMDb): Two young men, one rich, one middle class, who are in love with the same woman, become fighter pilots in World War I.
Long Version (modified from Wikipedia and formatted to fit your screen):
Jack Powell and David Armstrong are young men from the same small American town, both vying for the attentions of pretty Sylvia Lewis, who looks like she got lost on her way to a casting call for Guinevere with her gauzy, flowing sleeves and inexplicable lute.
Ellen: The title cards inform us that she’s from “the City,” but unless that city is Camelot: I do not buy it.
Even as Jack tries to win Sylvia’s attention, he fails to realize that his neighbor, Mary Preston, is desperately in love with him. The title card tells us they met because he once “picked her out of a bonfire”3 and often regretted it (HOW? And WHY?). Reluctantly, Jack allows Mary to help him build “almost an automobile,” which she christens The Shooting Star. He immediately drives away to go impress Sylvia with it, utterly oblivious to Mary’s heartache.
Ellen: Jack, you dumb bitch, can’t you see she loves you??
Tyler: “Almost an automobile”: accurate for something with a wind-up motor but no doors or seatbelts. Mary is also like the antithesis of the “girl next door” stereotype: she’s the one pining after the guy and the guy barely notices her, and when he does he’s like “oh my god will you please go away.”
The two young men enlist to become combat pilots in the Army Air Service. Their physical exams treat us to the first of two extremely brief instances of nudity in the film (it’s butts!)4. Before they leave for training, Jack comes to visit Sylvia. Mistakenly believing the picture locket she’s holding is for him, he takes it as a token. He heads back to his own house to give Mary a single firm handshake goodbye (brutal!) and drives off to the train with his parents. Sylvia is too kind to tell Jack the truth and later assures David that he’s really the one for her. We then witness a surprisingly heart-wrenching scene of David saying goodbye to his parents. He ends up bringing a small childhood teddy bear with him for luck.
Ellen: Jack, you dumb bitch, can’t you see she doesn’t love you??
Tyler: I think I literally cringed during scenes with those two. Also, despite how touching the moment was before he left, David’s parents look like they belong in the White House in the 1840s (or a suburban “American Gothic”), and together they look like a family that would murder you and serve you for dinner at their bed and breakfast.
Ellen: People are just dying for a reservation!
Tyler: Okay, thought experiment time: what small token from your life would you bring with you for luck? Pictures aren’t allowed.
Ellen: It’s pretty cliche to say a cross, though the cross necklace I got for my confirmation would be both quite meaningful from a religious and a family perspective, plus the added benefit of being really easy to carry. So yeah, it’s 1917, cliches haven’t even been invented yet! I’m sticking to it.
Tyler: Assuming it’d fit in my pocket (and I promise I’m not pandering here), I think I’d bring the “Worry About Everything, Panic About Nothing” stress ball you painted me for Christmas last year. I keep it close during work and it helps me remember that I can worry about things within my control, but not to do so to an excessive amount where it classifies as a full-blown panic. I imagine that’s an outlook that couldn’t hurt during a war?
Jack and David are billeted together, because that’s how movie plots work. We march through some classic training camp montages featuring “no thrills, no glamour”5. During hand-to-hand combat, our boys are paired up again, because I cannot keep explaining to you how movies work! Jack beats the daylights out of David, but is seemingly impressed by the latter’s Captain America-esque attitude, and the two become friends.
Tyler: Watching that fight felt like watching a movie at my usual podcast speed of 1.2x.
Ellen: It’s distracting and something I assume had to be done to capture it on film or whatever. It’s also worth mentioning that this “reconciliation” is entirely on Jack’s part. David was fine this whole time. Jack is a petulant child.
Tyler: I feel like in class conflicts like this you’re typically “supposed” to side with the less well-off person, but Jack sucks enough to make you root for the 1%er David. Granted, the movie doesn’t hype up their class differences nearly as much as it could have, and certainly not compared to some more modern films (looking at you Parasite).
As soon as Disney acquires Paramount, we’ll learn David was Cap’s adopted step-uncle. (Source)
We’re then introduced to Jack and David’s tent mate, Cadet White, who takes the time to explain pilot superstitions and good luck charms before jetting off for his requisite “flock of figure-eights” and dying in a mostly-offscreen crash minutes later, presumably due to his devil-may-care attitude. And what seems to be mere minutes after that, the boys are off to their first flying instruction!
Tyler: We only got a brief glimpse of Cadet White, but having him die quickly is a smart way to introduce the gravity of the situation and help bring these two unlikely pals even closer together. Having an actor with the charisma of Gary Cooper doesn’t hurt, either.
Ellen: I definitely buy that trauma bonding for the two of them, which gives this scene more purpose than just hammering home the importance of each man’s charm (Jack: locket; David: bear; White: existing), which definitely will not come back in any way, so actually you may as well just forget about it!
Tyler: Maybe White’s lucky charm was that candy bar he left behind?
That single flying instruction must have gone well, for soon the boys are shipped off to France to fight against Imperial Germany, answering the “trumpet call to the reckless hazards of the skies,” a.k.a. waking up butts early for dawn patrol. Our heroes head into their planes, Jack’s bedecked with a shooting star, with their soon-to-be traditional “All set? O.K.!” On this patrol, we’re introduced to Count von Kellermann’s “Flying Circus” and the supposed chivalry of pilots even as they try for aerial assassinations. A dog fight breaks out at the circus, leaving a few members of each flying corps to make that unholy transition to flying corpse.
Tyler: This first aerial firefight provides us with some impressive visuals and several other interesting tidbits. First, they use hand signals?! Every part of that sounds impossible, but I understand that they had to use something considering radios in planes weren’t a thing yet. Second, I don’t know enough about the chemistry of film (or if that’s even the explanation), but being able to see the orange of the gunfire and flames as planes went down was unexpectedly jarring. Third, at one point a title card says the phrase “mighty maelstrom of destruction” which is almost definitely a Norwegian emo-punk album name.
Ellen: Kellermann stops firing at David at one point because the latter’s gun is jammed, demonstrating this knightlike respect for other pilots, but his cronies continue to fire on Jack while he cowers in the crater of his downed plane. Memo = missed.
Tyler: Was this the first ever cinematic use of the “my gun is jammed” trope?
Mary joins the war effort by becoming an ambulance driver, presumably because she helped build Jack’s car that one time. A town to which she’s delivering supplies suddenly comes under fire, but who should save them but that “flyin’ fool” known as the Shooting Star! Mary swoons and cheers extra hard for Jack, and he of course is oblivious to the fact that she’s there, and thus the metaphor for their relationship is complete.
Ellen: Mary’s ambulance look is. a. VIBE. I’d wear every inch of that outfit.
Tyler: Alright, time for another thought experiment: if you were a fighter pilot, what symbol would you paint on the side of your plane?
Ellen: Okay, so the main batches of options are something that flies, something that swims, and something celestial. The only thing that flies that isn’t taken is like a pterodactyl, sharks seem so basic, and a rocket makes it look like I’m just salty that I failed astronaut exams. Therefore I’m going with something silly yet sinister, none other than the pair of moray eels from The Little Mermaid, Flotsam and Jetsam!
Tyler: Because I am a basic bitch, my first two thoughts were “eagle” and “dragon”, both of which are used in the movie. I then thought of something that would be equal parts fun for me and confusing/intimidating for my enemies: a portrait of Gritty.
Interior: a rollicking Paris cafe. Couples kissing, dancing, arguing, and of course, drinking. It’s leave time, baby! The boys are on “furlough from Death,” and Jack has learned about champagne, proceeding to drink approximately all of it and be so drunk he sees bubbles6. Mary learns that soldiers are being called back to the line for The Big Push and will be court martialed if they don’t show up. She finds the famous Shooting Star, but he’s far too snookered to recognize her, sneering at her Uniform and dismissing her with a "no war - jus' bubbles!" Undeterred from helping this man who barely knows she exists, Mary shimmies into a glitzy dress and lures Jack away from his French floozie. She helps Jack up to a room where he can sleep it off and finds Sylvia’s locket on him. Her own bubble being burst, she considers leaving Jack to his fate, but decides against it. Mary’s loyalty goes completely unrewarded as two military dudes bust into the room, see Mary changing back into her uniform, and invoke the Patriarchy to send her home and let Jack return to the line.
Jack drank three glasses of champagne during the length of this tracking shot (Source) The climax of the story involves some convoluted plot points, so bear with us as we present them rapid fire: David is melancholy before the Big Push, feeling he won’t make it home. Jack proclaims his love for Sylvia, and David tries desperately to not let Jack see that she signed the back of her locket picture to David, resulting in a tiff. David ends up forgetting his bear. The boys (namely Jack being petulant) fly off without the customary “All set? O.K.!” (That’s two superstitions IGNORED!) David protects Jack’s emotionally fragile ass and gets shot down behind enemy lines. The two spend a sleepless night apart, and the next day Jack, now armed with David’s bear, hunts a bunch of enemy planes on his own for revenge. David, who spectacularly punched out a guard and stole a German plane, gets shot down by his friend! They reunite on the ground, and David, being a better and more sympathetic character in every way, forgives Jack before one last "All set?" as his metaphorical propeller stops spinning.
Tyler: I feel like this movie could’ve cut out about twenty minutes of shots of planes just flying overhead, with the buildup to the climax a notable culprit. I understand it’s trying to reflect the scale of the battle, but eventually it all feels a bit … much. Although, this is set just fourteen years after the Wright brothers' flight at Kitty Hawk, so presumably flying was still considered a pretty risky and exciting thing to do and see.
Jack returns home with much fanfare, including a beflowered parade plane and banners reading "Local boy makes good!" He visits David's grieving parents to return his friend's effects. Having realized the truth of Sylvia’s affections, Jack does nothing to console her for some reason (Narrator: Because he sucks.). He is reunited with Mary. She and her parentheses eyebrows don't mind a bit that Jack was carousing in Paris or that he functionally got her fired in disgrace. They see a real shooting star and kiss in the original Shooting St(car).
Tyler: 🎵🎵 It was the girl-next-door ALL A-LONG🎵🎵
Intermission
Even though ILTBTA is free, please indulge us further and enjoy this quick "advertisement.”
This installment of ILTBTA is brought to you by … bubbles!
Trying to get blackout drunk to forget how many people you’ve murdered while flying an airplane that looks like it was built in fifteen minutes? Let bubbles take care of that! Bubbles can also help take your mind off the two beautiful women who are trying to get your attention, even though they are clearly not as fun as more bubbles.
Whether you’re looking to protect glassware during a move, describe your small group of pandemic friends you see in-person, or sing about a butt, bubbles are here for you and your needs.
Go to hoorayforbubbles.com and use promo code ILTBTA for 8% off your next purchase of bubbles.
Wiki-Wiki-Whaaat?
Love a good Wikipedia rabbit hole in search of some fun facts? Us too.
The Wings Wikipedia page is chock full of interesting facts and anecdotes that we recommend you read through, but here are a few of our favorites:
Actor Richard Arlen, who played David, served in WWI as a military aviator, and actually performed his own flying in the film. Charles Rogers, who played Jack, also performed his own flying, but had to take flight training during production to do so.
Ellen: I was really surprised at the quality of visual effects in this movie AND NOW I KNOW WHY.
Director William Wellman quickly realized that Kelly Field (the San Antonio airfield where they shot the movie) lacked the planes and skilled pilots he needed. After he requested assistance, the Air Corps sent several planes and pilots, including 2d Lt. Clarence S. "Bill" Irvine who became Wellman's adviser. Irvine was responsible for engineering an airborne camera system to provide close-ups, planning the dogfights, and when one of the pilots broke his neck, performing in one of the battle scenes himself.
Otto Kahn, the financier bankrolling the production, arrived on set as Wellman was filming the St-Mihiel battle sequence and inadvertently disrupted Wellman's detonation timings, which caused several extras to be seriously injured. Wellman loudly and profanely ordered Kahn off the set (presumably to the approval of the remaining extras). That evening, Kahn visited Wellman in his hotel room and told him he was so impressed with his direction that he could have whatever he needed to finish the picture.
DISCLAIMER: ILTBTA does not recommend cursing at your boss when they mess up your work. You are very unlikely to receive a blank check like Wellman did. (Counterpoint: you might!)
In the scene where Jack becomes drunk, the intoxication displayed on screen was genuine, since even though he was 22 years old, Charles Rogers had never tasted liquor before and quickly became inebriated from drinking champagne.
Tyler: Talk about champagne problems, am I right?
Ellen: What a square. Wasn’t the drinking age back then like 10 years old?
Arlen and Rogers also appeared together as themselves on a December 18, 1967, episode of The Lucy Show titled "Lucy and Carol Burnett: Part 2." They are introduced as the stars of Wings at a ceremony to mark the graduation of Lucille Ball and Carol Burnett from stewardess training. They appear on stage beneath stills taken from the film and later in the ceremony star in a musical with Ball and Burnett.
Ellen: Had a living soul watching that episode seen Wings? Was it popular for the time and fell by the wayside? Or was everyone like “who are these clowns?”7
Oscar NomNomNomz
Since we all know a movie is nothing without the food it incorporates.
It’s now time to award the Oscar for Best Snacktor in a Supporting Role8. And the nomnomnominees are:
The chocolate bar from Cadet White
Champagne, which we have hidden from Jack for fear of him drinking it all again
And finally, whipped cream, based on the following quote from star Clara Bow: "Wings is … a man's picture and I'm just the whipped cream on top of the pie.”
And the Oscar goes to … champagne! Sorry, we’ve just received word that Jack has learned of the champagne’s location, so we will accept this award on its behalf.
Fill In The Blank
How did we really feel about The Academy nominating this?
Ellen: I’d like to congratulate the Academy for coming into existence and starting off strong with a movie that holds up! While there are of course some “it was a different time moments” (David kissing his mother goodbye on the lips stands out), overall the story translates quite well to a modern audience, which is absolutely saying something for a black-and-white silent movie in 2021. Just be sure to keep that time-spent-on-phone low, or you’ll miss vital information in the title cards!
Tyler: Eek I forgot about that kiss. Anyway, I’d also like to thank the Academy for nominating Wings. Granted, I know nothing about its competition, but I was legitimately impressed by the way the action sequences were filmed considering it was made almost 100 years ago. It was also surprisingly engaging and well-paced for a nearly 2.5-hour movie, which is something that many modern action movies of similar length can’t say. It certainly wasn’t perfect, but it did a good job of mixing action with plot developments of people you actually cared about (plus Jack), all without the benefit of audial dialogue.
Let The Credits Roll
Thanks for reading! Some quick housekeeping as you exit the theatre:
If you have plots and feelings of your own (on the movie or ILTBTA in general), feel free to comment on the post or simply reply to the email. If you liked reading this: tell your friends! If you hated reading this: tell your friends how much you hated it by forwarding it to them!
If you’re a weirdo like Tyler and use Twitter, feel free to follow us there @BlankTheAcademy for ILTBTA updates, rejected jokes, and other random movie-related musings. Once we reach a million followers, we’ll offer to purchase the @ILTBTA handle from the butthead who snagged it before us.
If you’d like to start a wild Best Picture journey of your own, feel free to download a copy of The Spreadsheet. Bonus: checking off the boxes is oddly satisfying.
Get your COVID vaccine. Wear a mask. Don’t be an idiot.
Post-Credits Scene
Get a sneak peek at the next ILTBTA installment
Next week we’ll be watching the 1973 horror classic The Exorcist because Ellen loves spooky Halloween shit and Tyler ... loves Ellen. Per an agreement Tyler brokered, we’ll be watching it during the daytime with the lights on, likely after renting it on Google Play or Amazon Prime Video.
Also, in our first ILTBTA crossover event, we’ll be discussing our plots and feelings on “The Horror Bandwagon” podcast with our wonderful (and newly engaged!) friends Cody and Sergio, so make sure to check that out on your favorite podcast app (or ask your children/Google for help).
Until then, that’s a wrap on Wings. And boy are our arms tired.
At the time, it was actually called “Outstanding Picture.” This terminology continued to evolve to be Outstanding Production, Outstanding Motion Picture, Best Motion Picture, and finally Best Picture in 1962. (Source)
Coincidentally, Movie Buff Mettle is the body shop where they shined up the planes between takes.
Given that this is a silent film, when we have phrases in quotes, they are ripped from the title cards. And boy, what a trip they are!
If you want to learn about why this wouldn’t fly at many studios after 1934, read about the of-its-time-in-the-worst-way Hays Code, which eventually evolved into the rating system we know and ignore today. The other scene, for you weirdos out there, occurs briefly when Mary is changing in the Paris hotel room.
No thrills, no glamour? Sounds like my ex-wife!
Um, sure. I must be drinking the wrong champagne…
A callback to the Flying Circus YOU’RE WELCOME.
Results tabulated and certified by the accountants at Ernst & Yum™.