The Spirit of St. Louis (1957)

The Story of a 20's Hero

Everyone knows the story of Charles Lindbergh. His trans-Atlantic flight was a sensation in the 20s and inspired songs like "Lucky Lindy" and dances like the Lindy Hop. He started as an airmail flyer, but his love of flight and belief in it as an industry inspired him to attempt the impossible. The world held their breath hoping he would achieve his goal, to fly from New York to France without stopping. But it seemed impossible. He proved them wrong.

Billy Wilder directs this aviation adventure expertly. The setting is authentic without being overbearing. The actors wear costumes from the era, but nothing jumps up and screams, "Hey guys, this is 1927!" Stewart is great as always. He is a bit too old for the part, but his Lindy haircut is a nice assimilation to the role. He is well suited to biopics, because he can make even the unlikable seem sweet and genuine. (Not to say that Lindbergh was not a likable man.) He carries the bulk of the film on his shoulders with his inner dialogues while confined to the airplane. There are lots of great aereal shots including gorgeous overhead shots of land and a breath-taking shot looking up at the sun peeking through the clouds.

This is a slow-moving and deliberate movie with scenes of tension mixed in, but it is really a showcase for those with a love of flying, like Stewart and writer Wendell Mayes certainly had. December 17, 2008

spirit of st. louis dvd

My husband totally enjoyed this movie so I purchased it for him for Christmas. He is very particular regarding aviation movies but I know he will very pleased to get this for his collection. October 18, 2008

Spirit of St. Louis DVD

I loved this movie ever since I had it on Laser Disc back in the Old Days.' A great popcorn flick, especially if you are a Jimmy Stewart fan. The DVD is pretty cut and dry. No extra-special features outside what you would expect with a regular DVD. The video transfer is pretty good and sound, as well. August 20, 2008

Epic Flight

If you are a James Stewart fan or have an interest in Charles Lindbergh's trans-Atlantic journey, this is a must see. Billy Wilder and the others involved in this 1957 production took an inherently monotonous story (over thirty three hours flying solo in a light plane) and made it into an exciting film. Wilder broke up the monotony with flashbacks about Lindbergh's life in aviation. Some of these flashbacks are a bit tedious.

Wilder apparently remained faithful to Lindbergh's own account of the journey. (I hope to read this book someday.) The film built enough suspense to have me cheering Stewart on at the end. I felt overwhelmed when the plane touched down in Paris. July 12, 2008

The Spirit of ST Louis

Faithfull story of the book written by C.A. Lindbergh. Some jokes have been added that were not in the book, but without spoiling the story. July 3, 2008

More reviews at Amazon.com ...