The Spirit of St. Louis

MOVIE DESCRIPTION:

This retelling of one of Charles Lindbergh's most famous feats stars Jimmy Stewart as the legendary flier, and was directed by Billy Wilder. The story, adapted from Lindbergh's autobiography, begins when the aviator is working as an airmail pilot, but has much loftier goals in mind for himself. He begins to envision a nonstop solo flight across the Atlantic - something that no one has ever done before - and finds a group in St. Louis, Missouri willing to provide the necessary financial backing; he then has a special plane built in honor of the funders. Later, as Lindbergh sits in his cockpit, waiting to take off, he thinks back over his days as a circus flier, stunt flier and aimail pilot. The journey itself presents a series of hazards, but Lindbergh perseveres, using the stars for navigation when his compass disappears and overcoming other obstacles such as ice on the wings. ~ Nathan Southern, Rovi

DVD FEATURES:

• Region: 1
• Number of Discs: 1
• Subtitle: Eng/Fre/Spa
• Screen: Letterbox for TV
• Audio: Dolby Digital Mono
• Features:
  • cc
  • New digital transfer from restored picture and audio elements
  • Soundtrack remastered in Dolby Digital 5.1
  • The Spirit of St. Louis premiere
  • Vintage Joe McDoakes comedy short: So Your Wife Wants to Work
  • Classic cartoon: Tabasco Road
  • Theatrical trailer
  • Languages: English & Francais
  • Subtitles: English, Francais & Espanol (feature film only)

AWARDS

• Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

•     Nominated Best Special Effects - 1957 (Louis Lichtenfield)

• National Board of Review

•     Nominated Best Picture - 1957

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

• Cast:

  
       James Stewart - Charles A. Lindbergh
       Murray Hamilton - Bud Gurney
       Patricia Smith - Mirror Girl
       Bartlett Robinson - B.F. Mahoney
       Marc Connelly - Father Hussman
       Arthur Space - Donald Hall
       Robert Cornthwaite - Knight
       Charles Watts - O.W. Schultz
       James O'Reare - Earl Thompson
       Harlan Warde - Boedecker
       Paul Brinegar - Okie
       Olin Howland - Surplus Dealer
       James L. Robertson - William Robertson
       Robert B. Williams - Editor
       Virginia Christine - Secretary
       Maurice Manson - E. Lansing Ray
       Jimmy Bates - Farm Boy
       Richard Deacon - Levine
       William Neff
       Ray Walker - Barker
       Eugene Borden - French Gendarme
       Herbert Lytton - Casey Jones
       Lee Roberts - Photographer
       William White - Cadet
       Budd Buster - Mechanic
       Nelson Leigh - Director
       Sid Saylor
       Griff Barnett - Old Farmer
       Chief Yowlachie - Indian
       Jack Daly - Louie
       Ann Morrison - Mrs. Pearless
       Percival Vivian - Professor
       Sheila Bond - Model/Dancer
       Aaron Spelling - Mr. Pearless
       Dabbs Greer - Goldsborough
       David Orrick - Harold Bixby
       Robert Burton - Maj. Lambert
       Johnny Lee - Jess the Cook
       Erville Alderson - Burt
       Carleton Young - Commanding Officer
       David McMahon - Lane
       Paul Birch - Blythe
       Roy Gordon - Associate Producer

• Director:

  Billy Wilder

• Producer:

  Leland Hayward, Sr.

• Screenwriter:

  Charles Lederer, Wendell Mayes, Billy Wilder

• Book Author:

  Charles A. Lindbergh

• Cinematographer:

  Robert Burks, J. Peverell Marley

• Composer (Music Score):

  Franz Waxman

• Musical Direction/Supervision:

  Franz Waxman

• Editor:

  Arthur P. Schmidt

• Art Director:

  Art Loel

• Set Designer:

  William L. Kuehl

• Sound/Sound Designer:

  M.A. Merrick

• Makeup:

  Gordon Bau

• Special Effects:

  H.F. Koenekamp, Louis Lichtenfield

• First Assistant Director:

  Charles C. Coleman, Jr.

REVIEW:

• Charles Lindbergh was an American icon between the two World Wars, a dashing aviator who made history with the first trans-Atlantic flight from New York to Paris in 1927. Thirty years later, Hollywood snatched up his autobiography and cast James Stewart, himself an icon of American heroism, in the lead role. The film might have been formulaic if not for the combined writing and directorial talents of Billy Wilder, the eccentric Hollywood filmmaker who provided the Lindbergh character with quirky, soul-searching dialogue during the long stretches in which he is alone on his journey. The Spirit of St. Louis is fascinating not just as Americana but as an example of how even the most familiar and pedestrian story can be given a special flavor. Unfortunately, the film nose-dived at the box office; it probably should have been made a decade or two earlier, when Lindbergh's feat seemed more fascinating. ~ Michael Betzold, Rovi