As a restless young man early in World War I, William A. Wellman joined the French Foreign Legion, and then became an ace American pilot with the famed Lafayette Escadrille. After being shot down and suffering grave injuries, the war hero returned to civilian life in Hollywood in the 1920s, soon becoming known as Wild Bill for his maverick perspective and two-fisted approach to directing. As the excellent documentary Wild Bill: Hollywood Maverick details, Wellman's insistence on realistic filmmaking resulted in the still-breathtaking aerial choreography in his breakthrough film, 1927's Wings, the very first Best Picture Oscar winner. His other films, especially war pictures such as The Story of G.I. Joe, Beau Geste, and Battleground, display equal parts authenticity, grit, and humanity. Wellman also broke out of war-picture confines to have huge success with films such as A Star Is Born (for which he won his only Oscar, for co-writing the script), the screwball comedy Nothing Sacred, and themeditative anti-lynching drama The Ox-Bow Incident. Wild Bill traces Wellman's extraordinary career, highlighted by interviews with such varied Wellman stars as Robert Mitchum, Buddy Rogers, Burgess Meredith, Clint Eastwood, and Nancy Davis Reagan. Fans of Hollywood history and film in general won't want to miss this fascinating portrait of a true iconoclast. Narrated by Alec Baldwin (NBC's "30 Rock", The Departed, The Hunt For Red October, Rock Of Ages).

The extraordinary life and times of pioneering director William A. Wellman are explored in this documentary that not only offers a glimpse of the man and his work but also provides insight into the early Hollywood studio system. From Wellman's beginnings in Brookline, Massachusetts, through his career as a distinguished flier in World War I to his rise as a Hollywood director in the 1920s, the film includes the breadth of his life--which embraced five marriages and an equally stormy relationship with Hollywood that resulted in 76 films. Wellman's grit and determination netted a string of classics, which include WINGS, the first Best Picture Academy Award winner; PUBLIC ENEMY, which introduced James Cagney to the screen; the original A STAR IS BORN; and THE OX-BOW INCIDENT. More than two dozen interviews with such contemporary figures as Clint Eastwood, Robert Redford, Richard Widmark, and Jane Wyman offer entertaining testament to Wellman's legacy. This documentary tribute to Wellman's vast skill is fitting recognition of his profound contribution to contemporary cinema. Alec Baldwin narrates the film.