The Spirit of St. Louis

The Spirit of St. Louis (1957)

Timing: 2:15 (135 min)

6.579/10
121

6.786/10
457

7.1/10
9300

• The film was released in 1957 – to commemorate the thirtieth anniversary of Charles Lindbergh's nonstop transatlantic flight.
• “The Spirit of St. Louis” is the name of the airplane used for the flight. It was named after the city of St. Louis, whose residents, infected by Lindbergh's ambition, helped him raise money to build the aircraft. It cost $10,580, excluding the engine.
• In 1953, Lindbergh also published an autobiographical book with the same title, for which he received the Pulitzer Prize.
• Lindbergh was a fan of Billy Wilder's films and gladly sold him the rights to adapt his biography for the screen. During filming, the director corresponded with the pilot, trying to learn as many details about his life as possible in order to portray his image more accurately on screen. According to those who knew Lindbergh personally, when he saw the finished film, he said it truthfully and accurately recounted his historic flight.
• Contrary to expectations and despite a large advertising campaign, the film was not a commercial success.
• “The Spirit of St. Louis” is the name of the airplane used for the flight. It was named after the city of St. Louis, whose residents, infected by Lindbergh’s ambition, helped him raise money for its construction. It cost $10,580, without the engine.