1928 - We're ready for the Oscar Mr Demille...

It's a war film - two guys, a girl and war which, of course, the Americans win.
Released in 1927, directed by William A. Wellman and starring Buddy Rogers, Richard Arlen and Clara Bow. Worthy of mention is the two second appearance by the later to become great Gary Cooper. Ah patriotism, where would our war films be without you. Set during the first world war we follow two men, the innocent Jack Powell and the ever brooding David Armstrong who, at home, are competing for the heart of the temptress, Sylvia Lewis, but when they both answer the call to defend their country they soon become friends. Mary Preston, the consumate girl next door, follows her love, Jack, to war as an ambulance driver. After lots and lots and lots of dog fights (that's military talk for planes shooting at one another) the Americans bring down the "heinies" (I'm assuming that's a derogatory term for the Germans) and win the war!!! Oh and the other guys helped as well, you can see them in the background. After a series of unfortunate events Jack shoots down David's plane, they share a passionate kiss, one of the first man on man kisses in cinematic history....okay so it was meant as a fraternal kiss, but wikipedia felt it was worthy of mention - and embrace before David finally dies in Jack's arms. After David passes, Jack finds the letter Sylvia wrote declaring her love for David so Jack returns home and to the arms of good ol' faithful Mary who's waiting patiently at the garden fence.

Nic - One of the first guy on guy kisses, a second of naked boobies and men getting physical exams as seen through an opening and closing door (must have missed that)?! And we thought we were so modern in our exposes.
Cin - Yeah...I think it's interesting that in all of our wikipedias today that that's what they chose to mention when it probably wasn't that big of a deal at the time.
Nic - So what I find most impressive is how skilled everyone had to be
Cin - What, in terms of flying planes?
Nic - Well that too, the stunt people actually had to do all their own stunts, flying planes, crashing planes and stuff
Cin - Did you know Nic that there were actually two plane crashes during the filming and one person died?
Nic -I did, cause you told me yesterday. What amazes me too, thanks to my "wiki"d research that the music which accompanied this silent film, whoops, forgot to mention it was the only silent film to receive an oscar - was performed live. As a musician (said in haughty tone) I am amazed that for 2 hours and 20 minutes an orchestra or organist played for every frame of film.
Cin - Yeah, that's cool. So Nic...let's talk about something really important....Gary Cooper.
Nic - Ooooo...hawt! With his haphazard hair
Cin - tall
Nic - but dude dies the second he walks out of the only the scene he's in. He wasn't even in battle!
Cin - he dies PRACTICING (said with amused and astounded grin)
Cin - Alright, so, all in all...Oscar worthy?
Nic - Ummm, it's really hard to say. I sat there the whole time thinking....this has got to be one of the lamest plot lines , there were hardly any movie titles - ie dialogue or sub plot stuff, so how do you get into it? Have we been so spoiled (said in dramatic tone)
Cin - WHAT!?!?! Well maybe you've been spoiled Nicole, I thought it was an interesting story.
Nic - Sorry, guess I'm just too uneducated to get it....DUDE They went to war, they fought, chick is in love with a guy who goes for the hot mandolin player, mistaken identity , guy dies...
Cin - I defy you to find a more complicated story in todays remakes and computer generated war movies....
Nic -hmpf....really? Okay, well, we've got 81 more movies to go through
Cin - With all that said I don't know if I would add it to my movie collection but nice to know American patriotism still ran strong in 1929
Nic - STILL ran strong?
Cin - Well...yeah

*one thing we should note - initially there existed no category for "Best Picture" but rather two categories - "Most Outstanding Production", which Wings was awarded, and "Most Artistic Quality of Production", awarded to the film Sunrise. The following year the Academy introduced the "Best Picture" category, which leads us to our next film.....stay tuned.