SPIRIT OF ST LOUIS (DVD/WS-2.40/ENG-FR-SP SUB) DVD

The Spirit of St. Louis
A misfire for all concerned, The Spirit of St. Louis can be chalked up as a courageous failure. At age 48, James Stewart was far too old to be convincing as 27-year-old "Lone Eagle" Charles Lindbergh. Director Billy Wilder, a past master of cynical pessimism, was clearly the wrong choice to helm this paean to ingenuous optimism. And the CinemaScope process was totally inappropriate for the claustrophobic nature of the film's storyline. Even so, this retelling of Lindbergh's historic flight across the Atlantic has its moments, especially during the main character's flashbacks to the events leading up to his history-making achievement. Reportedly, James Stewart was uncharacteristically sullen and uncomfotable throughout the filming, which as it turned out was wholly appropriate for his portrayal of the equally taciturn Charles Lindbergh. An excellent musical score by Franz Waxman helps smooth over the lumpier portions of the narrative. Though Spirit of St. Louis was a box-office failure, both James Stewart and Billy Wilder rapidly recovered with, respectively, Night Passage and Love in the Afternoon. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Cast James Stewart as Charles A. Lindbergh Murray Hamilton as Bud Gurney Patricia Smith as Mirror Girl Bartlett Robinson as B.F. Mahoney Marc Connelly as Father Hussman Arthur Space as Donald Hall Robert Cornthwaite as Knight Charles Watts as O.W. Schultz

Crew Art Loel - Art Director Charles C. Coleman, Jr. - First Assistant Director Billy Wilder - Director Arthur P. Schmidt - Editor Franz Waxman - Composer (Music Score) Franz Waxman - Musical Direction/Supervision Gordon Bau - Makeup Robert Burks - Cinematographer J. Peverell Marley - Cinematographer Leland Hayward, Sr. - Producer William L. Kuehl - Set Designer H.F. Koenekamp - Special Effects Louis Lichtenfield - Special Effects M.A. Merrick - Sound/Sound Designer Charles Lederer - Screenwriter Wendell Mayes - Screenwriter Billy Wilder - Screenwriter Charles A. Lindbergh - Book Author

The Spirit of St. Louis
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, All Movie Guide
 

Louis Lichtenfield: Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie, Best Special Effects (nominated)

National Board of Review, Best Picture (nominated)

General Specifications: Language Options: English, French Subtitle Options: English, French, Spanish Sound Processing: DD5.1: Dolby Digital w/ sub-woofer channel DD1: Dolby Digital Mono Additional 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 & Français Subtitles: English, Français & Español (feature film only) MPAA Rating: NR DVD Discs Included: 1 DVD Sides: 1 DVD DVD Region Code: 1 Content Length: 135 min   DVD Chapters: 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]