The Spirit of St. Louis

James Stewart Director: Billy Wilder Billy Wilder

Overview

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.

Product Details

Release Date:	08/15/2006
UPC:	0012569816145
Original Release:	1957
Rating:	PG
Source:	Warner Home Video
Region Code:	1
Presentation:	[Wide Screen]
Sound:	[Dolby AC-3 Surround Sound]
Time:	2:15:00
Sales rank:	3,415

Special Features

Closed Caption; 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 & Français; Subtitles: English, Français & Español (feature film only)

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

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

Technical Credits

Billy Wilder

Charles Lederer

Wendell Mayes

Billy Wilder	Director,Screenwriter
Gordon Bau	Makeup
Robert Burks	Cinematographer
Charles C. Coleman	Asst. Director
Leland Hayward	Producer
H.F. Koenekamp	Special Effects
William L. Kuehl	Set Decoration/Design
Charles Lederer	Screenwriter
Louis Lichtenfield	Special Effects
Art Loel	Art Director
J. Peverell Marley	Cinematographer
Wendell Mayes	Screenwriter
M.A. Merrick	Sound/Sound Designer
Arthur P. Schmidt	Editor
Franz Waxman	Score Composer,Musical Direction/Supervision

Scene Index

Disc #1 -- Spirit of St. Louis
1. Credits and Foreword [2:07]
2. Restless Night [4:01]
3. Bailout Enroute to Chicago [5:16]
4. Death From Planes and Belts [2:47]
5. Long Distance [3:30]
6. Spirit of St. Louis [5:25]
7. Wrong Card, Wrong Pilot [4:39]
8. Ryan Airlines, Inc. [3:46]
9. Airplane in the Making [5:42]
10. Test Flight; Graduation Picture [3:55]
11. Got to Be Tried Now [4:31]
12. Not Sleeping Like a Baby [1:46]
13. Father Hussman [4:15]
14. Final Checks [2:33]
15. You Needed the Mirror [3:27]
16. Onto the Runway [6:09]
17. Departure [6:25]
18. Lindy Is Off! [1:42]
19. A Passenger [2:56]
20. Restful Memories [2:36]
21. Nova Scotia [2:17]
22. First Solo Flight [6:02]
23. St. John's [4:14]
24. Barnstorming With Bud [6:56]
25. Calculations in the Dark [2:40]
26. Warm Welcome at Brooks Field [3:23]
27. Ice Danger [5:14]
28. Regaining Course, Fighting Sleep [4:16]
29. Seeing the Light [1:45]
30. Asking Directions [2:11]
31. Ireland [4:14]
32. Mahoney's Lucky Charm [2:21]
33. Cherbourg; Engine Out [2:15]
34. Nearing Paris [1:46]
35. Lights of LeBourget [1:57]
36. Landing Prayer [2:00]
37. The Crowd's Hero [3:49]

Menu

Disc #1 -- Spirit of St. Louis
   Play Movie
   Scene Selections
   Special Features
      The Spirit of St. Louis Premiere
      So Your Wife Wants to Work
      Tabasco Road
      Theatrical Trailer
   Languages
      Spoken Languages
         English
         Français
      Subtitles
         English
         Français
         Español
         Off
      Web Info

Editorial Reviews

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.

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