Wings (1927)

In 1917, the U.S.A. entered World War I. The film follows the exploits of two young men from the same town, Jack and David, who fought in the war as combat pilots. Mary, who loves Jack but is not loved back, also enlists as an ambulance driver. Jack and David love Sylvia, who loves Richard and doesn't join the war effort.

This is a mediocre movie in every aspect except the technical one. For me, an extra factor of interest was to see for the first time a performance by Clara Bow. She has extraordinary acting capabilities, but, alas, her character seems to be on the border of mental retardation. The actor who plays Jack -- a nice performance -- has a slight resemblance, in physiognomy and mannerisms, to Robert Downey, Jr. Jack's pal David, on the other hand, is played as a zombie. The last act is based on the same narrative concept as Oedipus Rex: someone frantically tries to correct some evil and that is exactly what brings it about. This is a depressingly pro-war movie, in the very opposite end of the ideological spectrum from All Quiet in the Western Front, released three years later. The most interesting thing about the film is its reception, especially among IMDB users. You will not find a single unkind word in them. It is not uncommon to find viewers who thought this is an anti-war movie.

Rating: 40