Still working on how I will actually do these reviews. I watched about half of the movie and thought that kind of like a play by play might be something to try, so I started the movie over to try it. So here is the first movie off the list, the winner of the first Academy Award, the 1927 silent film "Wings".
Found on:
- 10 min. chunks on the YouTube. Yay Free things.
- First full length Non-Chaplin Silent film I have ever set out to watch, I have my doubts.
- Wings... Directed by William Wellman... Funny how old movies have the cast in the beginning.
- Setting small town 1917... So long ago
- Jack a young man with a dream, a dream to fly.
- Enter Mary, the girl next door, head over heels for Jack, who, unfortunately, is more interested in fixing up his car, which is named "The Shooting Star," than reciprocating her feelings
- Mary says that when you see a shooting star, you can kiss the girl you love, Jack says "Maybe I will."
- Sad Scene: Jack leaves as Mary ready for his kiss, instead watches him drive away
- Enter Sylvia Lewis: The girl from out of town, playing guitar (Since it is a silent film I will make an educated guess and assume she is playing some death metal) and the wealthy David Armstrong
- Mary Loves Jack. Jack Loves Sylvia. Sylvia Loves David. Classic.
- WAR!!!
- Jack gets his chance to fulfill his dream of flying.
- Comedic relief: Racist recruiter hassling Herman Schwimpf but ends up respecting him because of his American flag tattoo
- Sylvia's true feelings for David come out in the form of a locket with her picture in it, but through a misunderstanding Jack ends up with it
- Clara gives a picture of her to Jack as well, but Jack sees it only as friendship thing.
- As David is about to leave his worried mother knocks a box off the table, as David is picking up he pockets this little bear toy from his childhood, he keeps it as a good luck charm
- The boy are off to school... Obvious rivalry between Jack and David
- More Comedic Relief as Herman Schwimpf gets punched out by an Irishman but is saved from further harm by showing off his tattoo again
- Old-timey flight sims
- As training continued the rivalry between the boys grew and finally culminated in a fight, but go figure they end up friends
- Mary joins the Motor Corp to get closer to Jack
- Enter White: The boy's bunk mate in flight school, an experienced older guy with wise sayings and chocolate. However this friendship ends because he dies in a crash their first day. Exit White.
- Jack names his plane "The Shooting Star"
- This movie is kind of a old timey Top Gun, they even have a version for the famous Maverick/Goose need-for-speed line, albeit not as epic, but David says "All set?" and Jack says "OK" it has occurred a couple times now
- On their first patrol, they boys encounter the enemy "Kellerman and his Flying Circus" queue dramatic music
- Violent death scenes for a older movie
- Kellerman singles out David, whose machine gun jammed, but is helped out by a fellow flyer
- Jacks got problems of his own as he being chased by two German planes and has to make a emergency landing after his motor is hit. But finds safety and alcohol with a British trench unit.
- Ominous music starts as the giant bomb-dropping Gotha, the Great Dragon, is introduced and makes it's way to wipe Mervale, a french town, off the map.
- Back to Mary,who is driving an ambulance for the Motor Corp, and what do you know, she is headed to Mervale, to help out because the "Flu" has broke out (Not sure why flu is in quotes)
- Jack and David to the rescue "All set...OK"
- Panic in Mervale as the Great Dragon begins its assault, just as Mary arrives with the medical supplies, Jack and David arrive. Jack go for the Gotha and David goes for the two smaller biplanes. David Gets em both. Mary and all of Mervale cheer them on. Jack meanwhile still chasing and exchanging bullets with the Dragon finally is able to take it out
- After hearing that the American's plane that took out the Gotha was named "The Shooting Star" she knows it was Jack
- The two receives the Medal of Valor. Weird general guy kissing them as he is handing out the medals. Some funny expressions as he kisses them.
- After their victory the soldiers get a break, and what place better than a nightclub in France. But not before they have some fun riding horses through the french streets stealing umbrellas and being cheered and praised by the crowds.
- Brief scene showing that the date for the "Big Push" has been moved up and that leave is being canceled. Obviously since there is no dialogue in silent films it means that they show the actually document up on the screen and allow time for audience to read it, strange, I'm glad I live in the age of voice overs.
- Mary arrives in France only to find out that Jack is in Paris, she sets out to find him.
- Party pooper Military police coming through ruining everyone's fun
- Cool camera work as they flyover the tables as they show a very very drunk Jack. Check it out skip to 9:01 on the Video
- David leaves with a woman but not before "All set...OK"
- Mary spot Jack with another woman
- Jack being very drunk cannot recognize her, and scoffs, sings, and splashes her with wine when she tries to explain about leave being canceled
- Mary, very saddened by this goes to the bathroom where she gets advice from an old lady "If you want to catch the fly, do you set the vinegar? No, ma cherie! But the sugar, yes!" she dress up Mary in a glittery dancer dress
- She goes back to Jack and he is leaves the other woman and goes with Mary.
- Jack still drunk passes out on the bed.
- Mary sees Sylvia's locket and believes that Jack put the picture she gave him inside, but is angered when she opens it and finds Sylvia's picture in it,she thinks about about letting Jack miss his appointment and letting him face court martial but she decided not to because she still loves him, she decides to leave and starts to change out of the dancer dress right when the Military police barge in
- The MP noticing that she is in the military force her to resign
- Back in action, David fears the next mission could be his last he asks Jack to give his medal to his parents, Jack reassures him, but David insists
- Reading the paper, Jack finds out that Mary has resigned and fiercely defends her honor when someone accuses her of being fired, David asks jack if he loves Mary, he denies and tells David about his love for Sylvia and shows him the locket that Sylvia gave to him.
- Taking the locket out to show David, Jack accidentally drops it and the picture falls out, as Jack goes for the locket under the table, David sees that on the underside of the picture is a note to David from Sylvia. So as to keep the secret he ask Jack to put the picture back in the locket himself, but Jack says that he doesn't want anybody else to handle it.
- With no other option David decided to rip up Sylvia's picture. Jack is about to clock David but just in time someone comes in and tells them that they must go out and destroy a couple German observation balloons. Among the heightened emotions, David forgets his good-luck bear on the table.
- David tries to reach out to Jack "All set..." Jack ignores him and flys off.
- In the battle, David takes out two German planes, but in his haste he is left open against the other two German planes.
- Meanwhile, Jack successfully takes out the two balloons. After he tries to find David but he is not able to and he heads back to the base
- David, being outnumbered and vulnerable get shot and must make an emergency landing in German territory. Again, violent scene for an older movie.
- Landing in a small body of water is quickly shot at by the Germans but manages to escape and is now on the run behind enemy lines
- German Ace Kellerman flys over the American base to give them a note saying that the american pilot in german territory was shot down and killed. Jack distraught vows to avenge his friend.
- Jack sets out with the squadron with David's good-luck bear to get his revenge, he quickly separates from the rest and barrels into enemy air alone
- Jack, deep in enemy territory, opens fire on a German battalion as they cross a river, on marching troops, and on a general and his aides while driving
- Meanwhile David find his way to a German airbase and steals a plane and is able to take out the plane that was attempting to stop him
- The German forces retreat and the Americans win, Jack starts to head home but sees a lone German Plane, not knowing it's David, Jack shoots him down.
- Jack lands to check out the wreckage and to get a memento but soon finds out what he has done.
- As David lays dying, they share a moment in mutual forgiveness and David dies just as the motor winds down on Jack's plane. Very Poetic.
- Jack, grieving for his loss he see the note Sylvia gave to David and finally knows the truth.
- As the American forces return home, Jack is received as a hero. He solemnly goes to David's parents to give them the bear and David's Medal of Valor.
- David's mother reassures Jack that it wasn't his fault, it was the war.
- As Jack looks at his old car, he sees Mary next door, they talk about the war.
- Later that night they are looking at the sky and see a shooting star. Jack says "Do you know what you can do when you see a shooting star?" Mary replies "You can kiss the girl you love." They kiss.
- Credits Role.
- Much much better than I expected. I would highly recommend it to anyone who is as skeptical as I was about silent films. The actors did a great job, but in all honesty, they had to be great. They are required to convey their emotions with only facial features and gestures. Dialogue viewed through a silent film lens seems to be a crutch that, I see now, isn't necessarily needed. This movie was an emotional rollercoaster, almost every scene had elements of both comedy and tragedy. Plus reading the Wikipedia page for the movie I see that it was filmed in San Antonio, TX, which is where I live. Which doesn't make it any better but make me feel good that my town was the backdrop for this great film. A great film to start this project, makes me want to continue.
