I remember the massive hype for 2012's Lincoln, priming audiences and voters to give Daniel Day-Lewis another Oscar. The powers that be touted his performance, claiming no one had ever played Abraham Lincoln the way he had, and he was being realistic in his performance, speaking in a thin, rather high-pitched voice as Lincoln really did. They said watching the film was like seeing Lincoln peeled from a painting and come to life. Well, "they" clearly missed the television adaptation of Gore Vidal's bestselling Lincoln, starring Sam Waterston as the nation's most beloved president. In 2012, Daniel Day-Lewis just put on a beard. In 1988, Abraham Lincoln truly came to life.
I already love Sam Waterston and find him an incredibly talented actor, but if there's anyone out there who hasn't seen his movies, watching Lincoln will make you a life-long fan. His posture, mannerisms, walk, accent, and facial expressions are not his usual; it's clear from the first scene Sam studied everything about the president to make his performance as authentic as possible. While Hal Holbrook wins the look-a-like contest in his beloved Lincoln portrayals in North and South and the 1970s miniseries Lincoln, Sam emits an aura that makes you forget about Hal for a while. When you're watching Sam, you believe he was raised in a log cabin. You believe he's Honest Abe.
In addition to the historically accurate tidbits included in Ernest Kinoy's script, the production values of the film are wonderful. It doesn't feel at all like a 1980s TV movie. The costumes are beautiful, the production and art directions are extremely realistic, and the choice of using muted and dusty colors makes all the difference in the world. Usually, British movies have the market cornered on authentic lighting, but Joe Clayton, chief lighting technician for the film, did a fantastic job giving audiences a view of how things really looked during the Civil War.
Co-starring Mary Tyler Moore as the tragic figure Mary Todd Lincoln, Richard Mulligan as Secretary Seward, Steven Culp as Lincoln's secretary, Ruby Dee as Mary's dressmaker, David Leary as General McClellan, and John McMartin as Senator Chase, this three-hour tribute to Lincoln's presidency is extremely entertaining. Lamont Johnson won an Emmy for his direction, and Mary and Ruby were nominated for their performances, as were the hairstylist, art directors, costume designers, and film as a whole. Sam's performance was ignored, and when you watch the movie, you'll be as stumped as I am. Pair it with Ken Burns's The Civil War for a reprise of Sam Waterston's role, or with A House Divided to see Sam in another Civil War drama, but playing a villain!
I already love Sam Waterston and find him an incredibly talented actor, but if there's anyone out there who hasn't seen his movies, watching Lincoln will make you a life-long fan. His posture, mannerisms, walk, accent, and facial expressions are not his usual; it's clear from the first scene Sam studied everything about the president to make his performance as authentic as possible. While Hal Holbrook wins the look-a-like contest in his beloved Lincoln portrayals in North and South and the 1970s miniseries Lincoln, Sam emits an aura that makes you forget about Hal for a while. When you're watching Sam, you believe he was raised in a log cabin. You believe he's Honest Abe.
In addition to the historically accurate tidbits included in Ernest Kinoy's script, the production values of the film are wonderful. It doesn't feel at all like a 1980s TV movie. The costumes are beautiful, the production and art directions are extremely realistic, and the choice of using muted and dusty colors makes all the difference in the world. Usually, British movies have the market cornered on authentic lighting, but Joe Clayton, chief lighting technician for the film, did a fantastic job giving audiences a view of how things really looked during the Civil War.
Co-starring Mary Tyler Moore as the tragic figure Mary Todd Lincoln, Richard Mulligan as Secretary Seward, Steven Culp as Lincoln's secretary, Ruby Dee as Mary's dressmaker, David Leary as General McClellan, and John McMartin as Senator Chase, this three-hour tribute to Lincoln's presidency is extremely entertaining. Lamont Johnson won an Emmy for his direction, and Mary and Ruby were nominated for their performances, as were the hairstylist, art directors, costume designers, and film as a whole. Sam's performance was ignored, and when you watch the movie, you'll be as stumped as I am. Pair it with Ken Burns's The Civil War for a reprise of Sam Waterston's role, or with A House Divided to see Sam in another Civil War drama, but playing a villain!