I saw the film on Turner Classics and while knowing it was a talking picture the opening minutes provided some doubt as it went on for a while with no dialog to go with the captioning that I always enable. Eventually sound kicked in at about the point a midwife exclaimed that Mrs. Lincoln's newborn was 'homely as a mud fence'. There was no reaction from the mother who apparently hadn't seen him yet.
I wasn't prepared for the significant gaps in the life of Abraham Lincoln, although for a film made in 1930 I didn't really know what to expect. We go from Lincoln's birth almost immediately to his employment as a young man in a general store. The rest of the picture follows the same format, making chronological jumps of years at a time.
Having seen D.W. Griffith's "The Birth of a Nation" almost a decade ago now, my curiosity was piqued when the approach taken here appeared to be significantly patriotic and anti-slavery. The latter part of the earlier silent film seemed to take a rather apologetic approach to the formation of the Ku Klux Klan. This picture consistently emphasizes Lincoln's determination to keep the Union together before, during and after the Civil War. The scenarios offered showing Lincoln during the War were by far the best part of the film.
One interesting thing director Griffith did was show Lincoln (Walter Huston) pardoning a soldier for cowardice after learning the circumstances of the young soldier's fear (he witnessed a boyhood acquaintance killed in battle). Shortly later, a scene with General Robert E. Lee (Hobart Bosworth) suggested similar compassion when he intervened to save the life of a Northern spy with the War close to an end. I thought the portrayal of this human element on opposing sides of the War was handled rather well.
Having introduced the character of John Wilkes Booth (Ian Keith) early in the story as a dedicated pro-slavery anti-abolitionist, it was to be expected that he appear again for his role at Ford's Theater. The actual scene of Lincoln's assassination was handled rather awkwardly, so it was just as well that the picture didn't dwell on it or the resulting aftermath. As I read other reviewer comments about the picture, I'd have to concur that 'Glory, Glory Hallelujah" was a fitting way to conclude the movie.
I wasn't prepared for the significant gaps in the life of Abraham Lincoln, although for a film made in 1930 I didn't really know what to expect. We go from Lincoln's birth almost immediately to his employment as a young man in a general store. The rest of the picture follows the same format, making chronological jumps of years at a time.
Having seen D.W. Griffith's "The Birth of a Nation" almost a decade ago now, my curiosity was piqued when the approach taken here appeared to be significantly patriotic and anti-slavery. The latter part of the earlier silent film seemed to take a rather apologetic approach to the formation of the Ku Klux Klan. This picture consistently emphasizes Lincoln's determination to keep the Union together before, during and after the Civil War. The scenarios offered showing Lincoln during the War were by far the best part of the film.
One interesting thing director Griffith did was show Lincoln (Walter Huston) pardoning a soldier for cowardice after learning the circumstances of the young soldier's fear (he witnessed a boyhood acquaintance killed in battle). Shortly later, a scene with General Robert E. Lee (Hobart Bosworth) suggested similar compassion when he intervened to save the life of a Northern spy with the War close to an end. I thought the portrayal of this human element on opposing sides of the War was handled rather well.
Having introduced the character of John Wilkes Booth (Ian Keith) early in the story as a dedicated pro-slavery anti-abolitionist, it was to be expected that he appear again for his role at Ford's Theater. The actual scene of Lincoln's assassination was handled rather awkwardly, so it was just as well that the picture didn't dwell on it or the resulting aftermath. As I read other reviewer comments about the picture, I'd have to concur that 'Glory, Glory Hallelujah" was a fitting way to conclude the movie.