"LINCOLN", A FILM THAT BELONGS TO THE AGES

November 19, 2012

Very few filmmakers have the ability to turn a Congressional vote into a compelling 2 ½ hour movie. But that is precisely what Steven Spielberg did with Lincoln. Of course, Mr. Spielberg is not a typical filmmaker. The man who virtually created the summer blockbuster (Jaws, in case you forgot) has had many years and many films to hone his craft. And I believe it is that experience coupled with his innate skills that enabled Mr. Spielberg to create such a fascinating film.

I would certainly be remiss if I didn’t mention the amazing performances of Daniel Day-Lewis, Sally Field, Tommy Lee Jones and others. Each of these actors brought their characters to life in such a way that the viewer forgot he/she was watching a performance. It’s a true testament to their craftsmanship that we stopped thinking of them as Hollywood celebrities and imagined them to be the people we learned about in history class…especially Abraham Lincoln, whose likeness we see countless times every day. What a daunting task it must have been to portray such a well-known and beloved icon.

Now on to the film itself…

The title of the movie is a little misleading, because it’s not a biopic of Abraham Lincoln. In fact, Lincoln only deals with the last half year of the president’s 56 year life. Furthermore, the focus of the film is not so much Abraham Lincoln as it is the passage of the 13^th Amendment, which abolished slavery. It was President Lincoln’s masterful manipulation of key political players of his day that secured passage of this crucial amendment. The film does a good job of showing the motivations of the people involved without demonizing them. It conveyed the racial attitudes of the time, though I think it softened them a bit in order to appeal to a mass audience. Lincoln addressed the reservations Northern whites had concerning the Constitutional abolition of slavery and their concern over the possible enfranchisement of former slaves. But I don’t think it delved deep enough into the fear Northern whites had of a black vote. The vote, of course, means power. While Northern whites may have been all for ending slavery (and the war), they were still deathly afraid of giving voting power to blacks…they might elect black judges, congressmen, senators, even a black president! Can you imagine? Though we today realize the idiocy of such prejudices, people in mid-19^th Century America held very strongly to such attitudes. While Lincoln did address these beliefs, I believe it toned down the vehemence behind them.

The climax of Lincoln was the House of Representatives vote on the 13^th Amendment, but it was the wrap-up that brought us back to the personality of Abraham Lincoln. We saw him touring a battlefield, meeting with General Ulysses Grant to discuss post-war reconstruction, taking a carriage ride with his wife, Mary Todd Lincoln, while speculating about their future…and then the dreaded theater. Fortunately, Mr. Spielberg added a nice twist here. For me, it was this post-climactic period that made the title character most endearing. I must admit, however, that I was hooked from the very start of the film.

For those of you who are debating whether or not to spend your hard earned money on this film, I can only say “Do it”. Abraham Lincoln sits atop America’s pantheon of greatness and there are precious few filmmakers with whom we should entrust this man’s legacy. Fortunately, Steven Spielberg is one of these filmmakers and he has given us a part of the Lincoln story that has been little told and never before filmed. This movie is a must see for anyone who wants to learn more about what created the life we have today or is looking for entertainment that is not silly or needlessly sensationalized. This ain’t Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter…thank you, Mr. Spielberg!