Not all bad, but nowhere near anything else I've seen by Wilder.

A bit too hagiographic, but a decent picture otherwise.

jimmy stewart is, as always, excellent and since he is the sole character on the screen for about half the movie it even accentuates that fact. the flashbacks provide a little extra during the long flight sequence and billy wilder proves that he can make a good movie without being comedic. this one renews my faith in wilder, although i was a believer in the first place.

Despite knowing the eventual outcome, it's still quite fun to get caught up in the adventure. It doesn't bear Wilder's directorial stamp nor is it written as subversively as you'd expect from him, but it's well shot. The costume and set design are phenomenal. The supporting cast does fine, but this is essentially a one-man show and Jimmy Stewart is great as the determined pilot. The flashbacks generally keep it interesting, but it does get a bit tedious in places.

Excellent.