Rotten Tomatoes
Movies Tv shows RT App News Showtimes

Wings

Play trailer Poster for Wings PG-13 1927 2h 22m War History Drama Action Romance Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
94% Tomatometer 63 Reviews 79% Popcornmeter 2,500+ Ratings
Wings is the first film to win the Academy Award® for Best Picture. Featuring a meticulous restoration and a newly recorded soundtrack based on the original score. This timeless story of love and loss follows two men who go to war and the girl they leave behind. Popular Twenties "It" girl Clara Bow stars with Richard Arlen, Charles "Buddy" Rogers and Gary Cooper in a legendary cameo appearance.
Watch on Fandango at Home Stream Now

Where to Watch

Wings

Wings

What to Know

Critics Consensus

Subsequent war epics may have borrowed heavily from the original Best Picture winner, but they've all lacked Clara Bow's luminous screen presence and William Wellman's deft direction.

Read Critics Reviews

Critics Reviews

View More
Wilella Waldorf New York Post 02/10/2021
A great deal of sentimental and weepy material is thrust into the tale here and there, along with long stretches of what may be termed for want of a better designation, "just war." Go to Full Review
Bernice Foy Fort Worth Star-Telegram/DFW.com 02/09/2021
Charles Rogers and Richard Arlen share honors as stars, with Clara Row as the feminine lead. While the picture is rather long, it holds the interest. Go to Full Review
Edwin Schallert Los Angeles Times 02/09/2021
Wings is unquestionably the dazzle and pyrotechnics of the screen fulfilled in a new sphere, and teems with twentieth century timeliness. Go to Full Review
Carson Timar ClapperCast Jan 15
We are so lucky that a film like Wings gets to stand as the first Best Picture winner. Wellman's ambition is on full display as he makes a thrilling and haunting look at war and combat. Go to Full Review
David Nusair Reel Film Reviews 01/31/2025
2.5/4
...a watchable yet palpably padded-out war picture... Go to Full Review
Pare Lorentz Judge 10/26/2023
You will get a real feeling of flying when you see Wings... Because of this and because it has the best photography I have ever seen in an American motion picture, Wings ranks as a superior movie. Go to Full Review
Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View More
Allan C @RT15713161 1d Aerial dogfights and stuntwork still impress almost a century later Wings (1927) **** CAPSULE REVIEW: Corny romance and dated storytelling aside, Wings (1927) soars on breathtaking practical aerial dogfights and massive battle scenes that still dazzle on the big screen. A must-see for its spectacle alone, even if the story doesn’t quite hold up. SEE FULL REVIEW ON LETTERBOXED See more Sedale S. @sedale143 Mar 19 My first non Charlie Chapman silent movie, I haven’t seen much silent cinema but man I did not know they could be 2 1/2 hours long. However, with the creative effects, the cinematography and great story, I can definitely see why this one best picture. While a lot of silent cinema is slapstick, and that does exist here, but man this is a great movie with high octane drama that I didn’t know I could feel in this medium. I love the acting in silent films because you have to over exaggerate and emote harder with your body. Wings doesn’t just do that with comedy, but the subtleties of seeing your loved ones hurt or so close yet so far away. It’s touching and devastatingly powerful. This is honestly one of the best war films to exist. Only limited to the technologies of its time, but man does this movie hit all the right marks. Most war movies are about WW2 or Korea, but to see the perspective of a film about a war prior to those, that it’s not even called World War 1, it’s just war. It’ See more Bradley B. @album Jan 15 I enjoyed the plot and the mix of WWI filming. See more Christian K @ckacar Dec 26 Decent technical filmmaking with miniatures primarily used for the combat sequences. The lead actress, Clara Bow, gave a very striking and expressive performance. Its a pretty weak portrayal of a wartime love story, overall. The music really got to me though, 140 minutes is too long to listen to the same 1 minute music loop for the entire duration, so I had to watch the 2nd half on mute. See more Vicky T @RT39425114 Sep 4 I just watched this on TCM. PAramount restored it with a score, and the music was good. Also cool to see young Gary Cooper See more mark g @Mark_Alan_G. Sep 4 As a US History teacher and historian it actually took me many many years before seeing this film. It was made in 1927, so comparison to modern films is not possible. Silent films were unique and not made for everyone. However, the filmmaking here is incredible. This was a massive undertaking, with incredible shots and footage, stuff that would cost hundreds of millions to make today. The strength of the film is obviously the action and war scenes, beautiful and captivating. The one thing that I found curious was how Clara Bow was really billed as the star, she actually has a minor supporting role. See more Read all reviews
Wings

My Rating

Read More Read Less WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW POST RATING
Flight of the Intruder 23% 51% Flight of the Intruder Watchlist War Horse 74% 74% War Horse Watchlist Little Boy 27% 78% Little Boy Watchlist TRAILER for Little Boy Rescue Dawn 90% 75% Rescue Dawn Watchlist Red Tails 41% 57% Red Tails Watchlist Discover more movies and TV shows. View More

Movie Info

Synopsis Wings is the first film to win the Academy Award® for Best Picture. Featuring a meticulous restoration and a newly recorded soundtrack based on the original score. This timeless story of love and loss follows two men who go to war and the girl they leave behind. Popular Twenties "It" girl Clara Bow stars with Richard Arlen, Charles "Buddy" Rogers and Gary Cooper in a legendary cameo appearance.
Director
William A. Wellman, Harry D'Abbadie D'Arrast
Producer
Kevin Brownlow, Jesse L. Lasky, Adolph Zukor
Screenwriter
John Monk Saunders, Hope Loring, Louis D. Lighton, Julian Johnson
Production Co
Paramount
Rating
PG-13 (War Violence)
Genre
War, History, Drama, Action, Romance
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Jan 15, 1927, Original
Rerelease Date (Theaters)
May 16, 2012
Release Date (Streaming)
Feb 20, 2012
Runtime
2h 22m
Most Popular at Home Now