Wings

Two young men interested in the same woman end up in the same squadron as pilots in the First World War. Their rivalry turns into friendship at the front. The film shot its aerial combat with real aircraft and cameras mounted on them, and those sequences still carry a sense of scale. The narrative runs a romantic line while the weight is on the war itself, and the ending is merciless. William A. Wellman directed, with Clara Bow; Gary Cooper appears in a brief scene. It is silent and was chosen best picture at the first Academy Awards. Before watching: the film is silent and runs close to two and a half hours. Versions circulate with different musical arrangements.