Wings, released in 1927, directed by William A. Wellman, distributed by Paramount Pictures, won the first academy award for Best Picture and Best Engineering Effects. It is the only silent film to ever win Best Picture.
It is also the first film to depict a tender kiss between two leading men.
The movie revolves around two pilots vying for the affection of the same woman during WWI, but it’s abundantly clear by the end of the film their love for each other far exceeds their conflict. It’s painted as a platonic, almost brotherly relationship, still it doesn’t negate the fact that this scene—the relationship itself— is unusually intimate.
Either way, their love is forever secured in the National Film Registry to be enjoyed and studied for decades to come.
