Wings (1927)

To inaugurate its newly restored organ, Boise’s historic Egyptian Theater hosted a showing of William Wellman’s 1927 bi-plain spectacle Wings, which is recognized as the first Oscar best picture winner (actually that first year there where too, one for a popular favorite (Wings), and one for greatest artistic achievement which went to F. W. Murnau’s Sunrise). I’ve seen a fair number of silent films and I’m afraid I’d have to rank Wings in the bottom half. No doubt quite a site in its day I didn’t get much out of it, Sunrise has a better love triangle and night on the town scene, Hell’s Angles (while not really a silent, is better with a not dissimilar plot (and better air fights)), and anything Chaplin or Keation did had more heart and humor. Wings was just too much like Pearl Harbor, had a couple good moments, but ultimately I didn’t much care. It was a fun experience to see it with a packed house in a period theater however. Not Recommended.