Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-04-22

set of alone In a tiny monoplane
to capture the public's excited
affection a flight to Paris was as
awe-inspiring as flight to the
moon would be tomorrow after
noon. Now. after the Air Trans
port Command did the pioneer
ing during World War II. air.
planes flying to Paris are as
commonplace as trolley cars
tooling out to Glen Echo Park.
spirit of st. Louis" the movie,
may have come along too late.
Still this is one Of the great
personal adventures of all time.
1t is good to have recorded on
film with such honesty how it
was out there for the man who,
as it were. ate the first oyster.
Honestly is the way 1t has been
filmed. too. with Billy Wilder di-
recting and James Stewart, an
actor who knows his way around
q cockpit. playing Lindbergh.
The heroine of spirit Of st.
Louis" now hangs in a fitting
place of honor in the Smfthson-
ian and it won't be at all sur
prising If this picture gives you
the urge to go over and tip your
hat to her. She's a real doll, as
impersonated here by a triplet
set of full-size flying models.
You will develop real affection
for her. too-or at least UNDER
stand the affection Lindbergh
had-as she churns along at 80
miles an hour proving what
Lindbergh wanted to prove
that the machine would do the
Job If man didn't foul it up.
The Spirit of st. Louis
screenplay by Director Wilder
and Kendell Mayes follows the
f1ier's Pulitzer prize-winning ac-
count Of his historic flight close
~ If not precisely. 1t skimps
much of the photographer
wanderings Of the book. but il
does touch upon a number OF
highlights Of the Lindbergh fly
ing career before May. 1927.
There are glimpses, in fash
back. Of his transforming and
flying circus days. There is his
comic arrival at the Army's fly.
ing school in San Antonio In 9
weary Jenny that obviously
should have been grounded three
years previously. There is the
frightening experience Of the all
mail days. with a spinning. fall
Ing plane repeatedly swooping out
Of the mist to just miss its para
chuting recent pilot.
The film concentrates, natur-
ally. on the flight that gave COM
merical aviation its impetus by
making the nation what we used
to call air-minded. It is an alb
sorbing narrative.
Surprisingly, Mr.. Wilder has
managed to pack a great deal Of
suspense into it-surprisingly
since many moviegoers drained
the suspense out of this exciting
yarn 80 years ago. And younger
ones must be aware that some
one had to make the first New
York-to-Paris flight and that
Lindbergh did get there. With
out getting his feet wet.
Even so. there is one movie re.
viewer who knows better who
would have been the least sur
prised tenant Of the Metropoli.
tan had the Spirit of st. Loui'
crashed on that soggy Mitchell
Field take-of. If you've evel
been of the ground, you'll holt
your breath through this Sc
Quence.
Wilder works the same sor
Of movie magic in other pas
sages. too. There is the dramati
mid-ocean encounter with NOR
ice than the Spirit or st. Loui
can bear. There is the long battl
against falling asleep--for jus
80 seconds-which would hav
meant disaster. There's the prob
lem. once the flight has bee
completed. Of setting the plar
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