grantss Charles Lindbergh's historic, epic solo trans-Atlantic flight in 1927, the first ever solo crossing of the Atlantic in an airplane. We see how Lindbergh set about organising financiers for his flight, purchasing, designing and building the plane, test flights, (through news on other fliers) the potential fates awaiting him and the flight itself, especially the hardships he had to endure and how he overcame them. We also see, though flashbacks, his earlier life - how he learnt to fly and his first few jobs in aviation.Despite being directed by master-director Billy Wilder and starring the great James Stewart, I did not have high hopes for this movie. It seemed like a fairly dry subject and could easily have degenerated into a paint-by-numbers historical drama. However, Wilder makes it interesting, through the flashbacks and, especially, hearing Lindbergh's thoughts. The thoughts show the genius of the man - how he approached problems, his endurance and his resourcefulness. Wilder does a good job at showing the hardships Lindbergh had to go through and how easily he could have failed. Shows well just what an heroic feat it was. Good work from Jimmy Stewart as Lindbergh. At the time he was about 23 years older than his character but it doesn't really show. Interesting, entertaining dramatisation of a very historic event.

blitzebill After reading some of the negative reviews, here comes one that will hopefully shed light or settle some issues.Yes, Stewart was a bit old for the part, but he was very interested in it, was a famous aviator, and was thus qualified to pull it off (he also was the right height and build, and made this film at the peak of his popularity).Yes, the story was told in a somewhat bland manner. Us aviation geeks enjoyed it the most, but there is much to enjoy and learn from watching this film. The cinematography is very well done, and it's not just "a single camera pointing straight ahead." Many viewers tend to miss the subtleties of what they see, or even forget many of them between watching the film and writing a review.No, Lindbergh was NOT married at the time he crossed the Atlantic, and thus there is no wife to include in the story. People need to check the facts.Yes, Lindbergh was a controversial figure in history over time, specifically, AFTER the flight. This movie had no intention of addressing that aspect of his life, it was not on the agenda, and the complaints about his questionable patriotism are not applicable to the making of this film, and sharing this story and history-making event.Lindbergh made history, and further still, contributed significantly to the advancement of aviation all over the world for many decades to come. That's important, and pertinent to this film.

Applause Meter Director Billy Wilder was a Jew who immigrated to the USA from Germany in the 1930s and in consequence escaped probable incineration in Nazi ovens. That Wilder would, in 1957, make a film honoring a man notorious for his fascist sympathies---well the fact of that is to me incomphrensible. Lindbergh was also a proponent of eugenics, the murder of individuals or categories of individuals adjudicated unfit to live. And this man wasn't called "Lucky Lindy" for nothing; others had died attempting the same Atlantic crossing he succeeded in accomplishing. Why? Well he was jut lucky. No god-like qualifications required. There were actors that purportedly turned down the role of Lindbergh for the very reasons mentioned above. The man's politics and values were repugnant. Not obviously so for Jimmy Stewart, a staunch political conservative who had a lifelong obsession with aviation. The 47- year-old Stewart looking every year of his age lobbied and won the role of the 20-something Charles Lindbergh. The film is just another Hollywood glorification, a whitewash of a historical figure, more fiction than fact. Stewart is the stock Jimmy Stewart readily recognizable as the simple, unpretentious, plainspoken "All American" guy he portrayed in all his films. Nothing like the real Lindbergh who by all accounts was a man ruled by hubris, an arrogant man with an unshakeable confidence in his own abilities and beliefs. Stewart gives us a determined Lindbergh, yet one humble and self-effacing, far removed from who Lindbergh actually was. Aside from the significant ugly back-story to this production, it is just plain and simple, a big bore. The script lacks any nuance of character; it is full of the tropes associated with grit and heroism. Are we supposed to be amused by the monologues Stewart has with an uncredited character, the fly who does a very convincing job portraying an unexpected cockpit stole away getting a free ride to Paris? There needs to be another demarcation to "grade" films like "The Spirit of St. Louis." A little icon of a bomb should be available for stinkers like this.

CentralStateProductions "The Spirit of St. Louis" is a wonderful, fulfilling, exciting and beautifully made Motion Picture." It recounts one of the most important events in Human History based on Charles Linburgh's own words. Billy Wildler gives us a version of those historic events with a small mix of fiction that does not take away from the Biography of those actual events played out. James Stewart is perfectly casted although much older than the character he portrays. The usage of Stewart's Voice Over Narrative of his own actions is key in making a much less dramatic scene much more suspenseful. Its a tour-de-force for Stewart, a Military pilot himself. This is Wildler best drama that fits the bill of a great action adventure and some of the best aerio photography ever seen. Waxman's soundtrack is epic with a unforgettable theme and dramatic hues and movements. I find no faults with the film production. The problems I do find is when released in 1957, audiences reacted negatively and it is said the Film release was a box office flop. I believe that this may be because of the fire-storm that Linburgh set off himself in his politics. In 1958 America had a much different view of Lucky Lindy than when he was greeted by Four Million Americans when he returned from Paris in 1927. I'm sure Jack Warner was well aware of the possible backlash on making a Movie that glamorized a man that once stood for the greatest hero in the USA to one that many Politicians wanted to deport. Stewart was uncomfortable with all the media attention and said to have been uneasy throughout Production. The Film did receive a re-cut after its initial release but it did not help. So the reason I'm not giving this incredible film a perfect score is because the Business a Film does is worth at least 2 points. But for my money, this is the best it gets for both Billy Wildler and James Stewart! JEV -