The film follows lincolns career as a shopkeeper and aspiring politician, his decision to study law, and his move to springfield, illinois to go. This was one of the early movies that turned henry fonda in to a major movie star. Henry fonda as a young man had much sharper dimension in facial feature, as also recognized in the grapes of wrath. In this dramatized account of his early law career in illinois, abraham lincoln is born into a modest log cabin, where he is encouraged by his first love, ann rutledge, to pursue law. Gallery of 16 movie poster and cover images for young mr. The same year saw the release of not only gone with the wind, gunga din, mr.
John fords fine direction distinguishes this highly fictionalized account of the early life of abraham lincoln. It was the first film fonda would make with ford, followed by drums along the mohawk and grapes of wrath, all made in the space of a year. Its typically ford in that it celebrates good old fashioned decency and the civilizing effect knowledge and education has on the frontier life, but it pushes just over the edge and gets too bogged down. Im willing to bet that most moviegoers even cinefiles havent seen the film, and id wager that few have ever even heard. Illinois lawyer abraham lincoln henry fonda becomes known for his honesty and solves a murder with a courtroom trick. Lincoln is a 1939 american biographical drama film about the early life of president abraham lincoln, directed by john ford and starring henry fonda. Join sign up keep track of your favorite shows and movies, across all your devices. The film follows lincoln during his early years in. Arleen whelan, marjorie weaver, alice brady, henry fonda. In honor of the bicentennial of the birth of abraham lincoln, weve revisited john fords great portrait of the leader as a preheroic man, young mr.
The film shows lincoln henry fonda as he rises from a country boy born in a log cabin to a lawyer in springfield, illinois defending two young men unjustly accused of murder. Rather than a bloated, boring biopic, this one shows the future american president only as a young man, trying to find his way. For people born in 1890s, like ford and capra, abraham lincoln was america. The story of abraham lincoln that has never been told a fictionalized account of the early life of the american president as a young lawyer facing his greatest court case. Howard hawks, a master of genres and the architect of a tough, functional american style of narrative exemplified in. Nevertheless, the performance of henry fonda and the assured, fully engaged direction of john ford placed young mr. A oncemust, for its place in cinema history and for fondas performance. Because the images of this film combine the iconic with the looseness of the everyday, as young mr. References to use please add to the list references that can be used for the film article.
Few american historical figures are as revered as abraham lincoln, and few directorstar collaborations embody classic hollywood cinema as beautifully as the. Lincoln practically kisses the ground where abe walked. Lincoln 1939 and my darling clementine 1946, but the focus here is on ordinary americans filmed at the time, not famous historical figures seen in retrospect. Henry fondas portrayal of the young abraham lincoln as an untested lawyer was outstanding. Henry fonda western movies full length free jesse james 1939 part. I remembered this movie which id seen ages ago and was thrilled that i could download it. John ford directed and henry fonda stars in the movie. Get premium, high resolution news photos at getty images.
Lincoln arrived on the scene june 9, 1939, the year of hollywoods golden year. Lincolnthe first cardinal masterpiece of director john fords career, and the finest film of that epochal hollywood year 1939been neglected because people fear its a stodgy history lesson. Staring eddie collins, marjorie weaver, eddy waller and spencer charters. Smith goes to washington, and ninotchka, but also fords seminal western stagecoach and his other collaboration with fonda, drums along the mohawk. The battle of midway chronicles a significant moment in u. The film follows lincolns career as a shopkeeper and aspiring politician, his decision to study law. Lincolns law skills are put to the test when he takes on the difficult task of defending two. The legal problems of depicting real persons and events in a fictional medium. Rentals include 30 days to start watching this video and 48 hours to finish once started. Sherwoods beloved play taking a thoroughly human look at the early years of our 16th president, with all his frailties and strength of character.
Uncharacteristically beautiful compositions of early film, what could have been a series of gorgeous still frames, ford has a unique eye for telling a story. Nevertheless, implicit in the movies call to virtue is how far from equality blacks in 1939 were from lincolns evocation at gettysburg. Lincoln s law skills are put to the test when he takes on the difficult task of defending two. Please add to the list references that can be used for the film article. Lincoln 1939 starring henry fonda and alice brady on dvd and bluray. Henry fonda as a young man had much sharper dimension in facial feature, as also recognized in the. Nevertheless, slavery is not mentioned in young mr. Lincoln, released in 1939 and now on bluray in a new 4k digital restoration from criterion, is a prime. Zanuck fought for control of the film, to the point where ford destroyed unwanted takes for fear the studio would use them in the film.
Directed by 1 writing credits 1 cast 61 produced by 2. Ten years in the life of abraham lincoln, before he became known to his nation and the world. Lincoln apr 15, 20 what ford and spielberg have discovered is that you can take any slice of lincolns life and put together a very entertaining film. Lincoln 1939 tt0032155 in this dramatized account of his early law career in illinois, abraham lincoln is born into a modest log cabin, where he is encouraged by his first love, ann rutledge, to pursue law. He moves from a kentucky cabin to springfield, illinois, to begin his. Once you select rent youll have 14 days to start watching the film and 48 hours to finish it. Lincoln ford had made films that were richer and more effective, eisenstein wrote. Zanuck, received an academy award nomination for best original screenplay. Even henry fonda, drafted to play the title role, was reluctant till ford testily explained, this isnt the great emancipator, for god. Following her tragic death, lincoln establishes a law practice in springfield, where he meets a young mary todd. In this biography of abraham lincoln, the president is wonderfully portrayed by henry fonda. Henry fonda alice brady marjorie weaver arleen whelan eddie collins pauline moore richard cromwell ward bond donald meek spencer charters eddie quillan milburn stone.
The criterion collection on bluray 715515208710 from criterion. Lincoln apr 15, 20 what ford and spielberg have discovered is that you can take any slice of lincoln s life and put together a very entertaining film. Its typically ford in that it celebrates good old fashioned decency and the civilizing effect knowledge and education has on the frontier life, but it pushes just over the edge and gets too bogged down in portraying lincoln as a nonstop oil geyser of folksy wisdom. Lincoln as the first of his films to get the luxe treatment it typically provides. Lincoln 1939, the grapes of wrath 1940, my darling clementine 1946, and she wore a yellow ribbon 1949. Lincoln is transformed from a slackjawed looselimbed young everyman into well, into abe lincoln. Fords camera has only praising views to reveal of mr. Oscars best picture winners best picture winners golden globes emmys san diego comiccon new york comiccon sundance film festival toronto intl film festival awards central festival central all events. Lincoln either a passing reference aside, and no blacks appear in its 1830s illinois. However, the key role is obviously lincoln, and fonda gives an impressive version of lincoln, well, a young lincoln. Rather than a bloated, boring biopic, this one shows the future american president only as a young man, trying to find his way in life, and henry fonda portrays lincoln as a. Zanuck, received an academy award nomination for best original screenplay for its screenwriter lamar trotti. Oscars best picture winners best picture winners golden globes emmys san diego comiccon new york comiccon sundance film festival toronto. Ford, the great soviet movie maker sergei eisenstein whose 1925 silent film battleship potemkin remains embedded in most critics short lists of the best movies ever made speculated on the one american movie he wished he had made.
The movie won the academy award for best writingoriginal story. Smith goes to washington, in which jefferson smith james stewart communes with the lincoln memorial to revive his faith in the constitution. Lincoln is a 1939 movie about the early years of abraham lincoln. Nov 30, 2014 mr lincoln is a young lawyer with no experience. National catholic register henry fondas bestknown performance as a legendary historical character in a john ford film is, of course, as wyatt earp in my darling clementine. Lincoln, 1939, directed by john ford, with henry fonda, alice brady, marjorie weaver, at turner classic movies. Among the most masterful matchups of actor and role in screen history is this stirring film of robert e. Considering the legacy of films left by the great john ford the man who shot liberty valance, the searchers, the grapes of wrath, its a little strange that criterion chose young mr. Lincoln a 1939 classic directed by john ford has some violence, centered around a murder, as well as some talk of hanging, some arguing and threats, and images of an angry mob. Lincoln is a 1939 film directed by john ford and starring henry fonda.
But for what the film lacks in character complexities it makes up for in beauty and depth of vision. Another biographies about abraham lincoln are the following. Lincoln goes to hollywood and looks like henry fonda. It dramatizes the early adulthood of, you guessed it, abraham lincoln, a period extending from roughly 1832 to 1837. Ford, the great soviet movie maker sergei eisenstein whose 1925 silent film battleship potemkin remains embedded in most critics short lists of the best movies ever made speculated on the one american movie he wished he had made he chose john fords young mr. Lincoln is a heavily fictionalized account of lincolns life this would be a huge deal in 2015, nobody cared in 1939. Since this film only covers a small part of lincolns early career, its rather safe to forget that its about lincoln at all. Although lincoln did once use an almanac to win a case, he never participated in a murder trial like the one depicted in the film. Griffith with walter huston, una merkel, talking from his birth until his assassination. Lincoln is a 1939 american biographical drama film about the early life of president abraham lincoln, directed by john ford and starring henry. With the film closing as lincoln strides away into the stormy distance, and his destiny dissolving into a view of the statue at the lincoln memorial, audiences could take comfort in the film s message that if a cause is just, good would ultimately triumph. Lincoln 1939 took such outrageous liberties with historical fact that its value as a portrait of the nations sixteenth president remains questionable.
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