The Spirit of St. Louis

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2 hr. 18 min.

Biography

List

83%

24 Reviews

Tomatometer

75%

2,500+ Ratings

Audience Score

This lauded biopic follows legendary pilot Charles Lindbergh (James Stewart) as he makes his historic solo transatlantic flight from New York to Paris. The film details earlier events in Lindbergh's aerial career, including his stints as a stunt pilot and a flight instructor, but it focuses largely on his dangerous journey over the Atlantic Ocean in his signature monoplane, the Spirit of St. Louis. Battling the elements and sleep deprivation, Lindbergh struggles to make a safe landing in France.

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Lomer A

Outstanding movie all the way around

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

12/28/23

Full Review

steve d

Well-made but its subject didn't earn it.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

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georgan g

Somewhat outdated but still a solid biopic with a great performance by James Stewart.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Jimmy Stewart is really too old to play 25-yr old Lindbergh, but it's really a good movie.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/17/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Charles 'Slim' Lindbergh struggles to finance and design an airplane that will make his New York to Paris flight the first solo transatlantic crossing. "The Spirit of St. Louis" is a James Stewart one-man show. He is just fabulous in his role. Stewart, who was nominated for five best actor Oscars -- his one win was for "The Philadelphia Story" (1940) -- I would say his role of pilot hero Charles Lindbergh turns in perhaps his most impressive feat. Billy Wilder's movie is a piece of American -- and world -- history, The Spirit of St. Louis is something everyone should see.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/14/23

Full Review

Audience Member

I think that this was an informative film if you don't know much as to what went into making and the flight for the first successful flight across the Atlantic. I did not realize where the name for the Spirit of Saint louis came from. I did not realize that there was only a periscope and side windows but no glass windows or front window. I did not realize that the Spirit of Saint Louis was a custom made plane made to be super light and was made is a 60 day span arround the clock. I did not realizethat the significance to this event was all the failures before the flight by others who tried to cross the Atlantic. I did not realize the crowds that came to see Charles Lemburg before and after his flight across the Atlantic. I liked the stories in this film like how when he encountered the manufacturer in California who assemboled the Spirit of Saint louis it was while the owner was using a welding flame under a piece of airplain metal plate to cook fish. I like the relationships shown in this film like Charles Lemburg letting his father fly the plane. I like how the planes look in this film. It is hard for me to determine when the planes are real vs. models. I had no idea that that the Spirit of Saint Louis was made with a special engine that allowed for 3 gas tanks. I like the side stories of Charles Lemburg like landing on a Army base with a plane in terriable conditions. Or seeing Lemburg trading his motercycle for a plane and Lemburg facing troubles lifting off due to lack of wind not allowing the plane proper lift for the plane.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/28/18

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Billy Wilder

Director

James Stewart

Charles Augustus "Slim" Lindbergh

Patricia Smith

Mirror Girl

Murray Hamilton

Bud Gurney

Bartlett Robinson

Benjamin Frank Mahoney

Marc Connelly

Father Hussman

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Variety Staff

Variety

Spirit is a James Stewart one-man show.

Aug 15, 2007

Full Review

Derek Adams

Time Out

It's quite engrossing, with the period trappings lovingly presented.

Feb 9, 2006

Full Review

Nell Minow

Movie Mom

Rated: 5/5

Aug 20, 2004

Full Review

Mike Massie

Gone With The Twins

A dragging, one-man show, featuring only a couple of other actors with any notable dialogue, and devoid of a love interest or any sort of consequential conflicts.

Rated: 4/10

Mar 31, 2023

Full Review

Frank Morriss

Winnipeg Free Press

The Spirit of St. Louis will hold your interest, and your sympathy, every foot of the way. This is largely due to James Stewart who plays the title role with such artless honesty that you are able to accept him as the character completely.

Sep 14, 2022

Full Review

Josh Larsen

LarsenOnFilm

...a national myth for the Eisenhower era.

Rated: 3/4

Apr 8, 2022

Full Review

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Synopsis

This lauded biopic follows legendary pilot Charles Lindbergh (James Stewart) as he makes his historic solo transatlantic flight from New York to Paris. The film details earlier events in Lindbergh's aerial career, including his stints as a stunt pilot and a flight instructor, but it focuses largely on his dangerous journey over the Atlantic Ocean in his signature monoplane, the Spirit of St. Louis. Battling the elements and sleep deprivation, Lindbergh struggles to make a safe landing in France.

Director: Billy Wilder
Screenwriter: Charles Lederer, Billy Wilder, Wendell Mayes
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
Production Co: Warner Bros.
Genre: Biography
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Apr 20, 1957, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 21, 2016

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