Lincoln (1 Viewer)

[Scott]

My family and I really enjoyed this film. I thought it was very well done. What I found really strange though, is that I do not recall them mentioning the Vice President, Andrew Johnson. Especailly since they "won" him over as a staunch Democrat. I do not remember them ever saying his name. It's as if he didn't even exist. I thought that was a major flaw in this film. To exclude his entire character especially since he would be the next President of the US.
But I'm not a film director, so what do I know.

Waly

I don't see Johnson anywhere in the cast on IMDB.

 

[jazzeum]

Why would Johnson need to be mentioned. Viewed at that time he really had no voice, not to mention that he was drunk when he took the oath, a bit of an embarrassment. After all, how many remember Hannibal Hamlin, his first VP.

 

[jazzeum]

Finally saw the movie last night and all I can say Daniel Day Lewis IS Lincoln. He played Lincoln as I imagined him to be. I liked how they worked in details of his early life such as his learning Euclidian geometry (something he decided he needed to know) and his rift with his father (he refused to go to his father's deathbed). Really well done. All the actors were superb. I liked how Jackie Earle Haley got Stephens and David Strathairn as Seward. The one thing that was hokey was the Gettysburg Address at the beginning. Also, the portion of the Second Inaugural at the end seemed just to hang there but was the post-script. However, not many probably knew that it was from the Second Inaugural, considered his greatest speech.

 

[Scott]

Finally saw the movie last night and all I can say Daniel Day Lewis IS Lincoln. He played Lincoln as I imagined him to be. I liked how they worked in details of his early life such as his learning Euclidian geometry (something he decided he needed to know) and his rift with his father (he refused to go to his father's deathbed). Really well done. All the actors were superb. I liked how Jackie Earle Haley got Stephens and David Strathairn as Seward. The one thing that was hokey was the Gettysburg Address at the beginning. Also, the portion of the Second Inaugural at the end seemed just to hang there but was the post-script. However, not many probably knew that it was from the Second Inaugural, considered his greatest speech.

The Second Inaugural epilogue was like the Battle of San Jacinto included in the recent Alamo. You have to leave folks with a "up" ending.

 

[jazzeum]

I think you could have ended the movie with him walking down the hall to go to Ford's theatre or with Stanton's "ages" remark (which some consider apocryphal).

 

[Scott]

I think you could have ended the movie with him walking down the hall to go to Ford's theatre or with Stanton's "ages" remark (which some consider apocryphal).

I just got back from seeing the movie again with my daughter and my brother. My brother thought the same thing you did for the ending.

 

[jazzeum]

It's really a small quibble. Overall, the movie is just fantastic. If this gets people interested in reading about Lincoln, mission accomplished.

 

[Partner]

Saw the movie on the weekend . I really enjoyed it . Thought Sally Field was a little over the top.

I crowd in the theatre was decidely "older ".

I wonder if the regular (young) movie goers are seeing it .

It is presently third in box office gross of movies presently playing

 

[Lo1863]

I think you could have ended the movie with him walking down the hall to go to Ford's theatre or with Stanton's "ages" remark (which some consider apocryphal).

Wow! I was thinking the same thing as well. It really should have ended with him walking down the hall out of the White House.

 

[Scott]

Saw the movie on the weekend . I really enjoyed it . Thought Sally Field was a little over the top.

I crowd in the theatre was decidely "older ".

I wonder if the regular (young) movie goers are seeing it .

It is presently third in box office gross of movies presently playing

Yeah, a quick observation in the theatre we went to was that my 16 year old was the youngest and most people were in my age bracket and older.

 

[jazzeum]

I thought that Sally Field was right on the mark. Mary Todd Lincoln was not an easy person to deal with and woe to the person that she thought had crossed her husband.

Lincoln was no angel either. He suffered from depression and before he became President he was frequently absent from home, constantly riding circuit as an attorney. Lincoln has tried to back out of the marriage after he and Mary were engaged (she let him) as he thought he was in love with someone else but his guilt made him almost suicidal. Eventually they were reconciled. They also came from quite different backgrounds: she was from a polished Kentucky family and he was rough around the edges.

At any rate, I thought Sally Field did a terrific job.

 

[Scott]

I thought that Sally Field was right on the mark. Mary Todd Lincoln was not an easy person to deal with and woe to the person that she thought had crossed her husband.

Lincoln was no angel either. He suffered from depression and before he became President he was frequently absent from home, constantly riding circuit as an attorney. Lincoln has tried to back out of the marriage after he and Mary were engaged (she let him) as he thought he was in love with someone else but his guilt made him almost suicidal. Eventually they were reconciled. They also came from quite different backgrounds: she was from a polished Kentucky family and he was rough around the edges.

At any rate, I thought Sally Field did a terrific job.

I'm glad Mary Lincoln was not portrayed as fat. I saw one of her gowns at the Smithsonian the summer before last and she had a pretty good waist. Corsets neaten a figure but don't shrink it that much, and they perform bust support and a foundation to hang the lower clothing from. Mrs. Lincoln was in good proportion for her height.

Mary Tyler Moore did a good job as Mary Lincoln as well. Sally Field could win the Academy Award.

 

[The Military Workshop]

Only just started here in Oz.

Good cast and acting. A talk movie as I expected but glad my wife did not go with me as she would not have enjoyed it. As a non American I found it interesting but probably not something I would recommend going to see in the cinema.

I seem to recall Liam Neeson originally was going to play Lincoln but Daniel Day Lewis certainly played him well.

 

[UKReb]

Only just started here in Oz.

Good cast and acting. A talk movie as I expected but glad my wife did not go with me as she would not have enjoyed it. As a non American I found it interesting but probably not something I would recommend going to see in the cinema.

I seem to recall Liam Neeson originally was going to play Lincoln but Daniel Day Lewis certainly played him well.

I agree with your comments-My wife had also decided it would not be a film for her so I took my daughter (I never have liked going to the movies on my own) who although a fan of Day Lewis knew nothing about the 13th amendment. On the drive to the cinema I gave her a brief resume on what Lincoln was trying to achieve and the main antagonists who were against him. According to my girl it helped her understand the main theme of the movie and she thoroughly enjoyed it. However, the film has been running here in the UK for almost a month now and has only garnered £5.2 million at the box-office, which in itself is not bad but as a comparator (although not a fair one) Django Unchained has been running for less than a week and has already taken £12.7 million. Therefore Lincoln is certainly not attracting the young Brits bums on seats.

I discussed this previously with Brad (Jazzeum) by e-mail and he raised a good point that perhaps a movie on British political history would not attract a reasonable box-office in the States. True but then again as Brit kids are hardly taught any British history in schools now I doubt they would even go to see a film whose theme was British political history.

 

[The Military Workshop]

I guess the comparison would be with the recent movie about Margaret Thatcher which I guess would have been of little interest in USA cinemas.

 

[UKReb]

I guess the comparison would be with the recent movie about Margaret Thatcher which I guess would have been of little interest in USA cinemas.

True

The Iron Lady took $30 million in the US whereas Lincoln so far has taken $175 million-just don't think the subject matter of the 13th amendment is going to attract a large European/Australasia box-office whereas most Oscar winning and especially Spielberg movies have always managed to.

 

[The Military Workshop]

True

The Iron Lady took $30 million in the US whereas Lincoln so far has taken $175 million-just don't think the subject matter of the 13th amendment is going to attract a large European/Australasia box-office whereas most Oscar winning and especially Spielberg movies have always managed to.

Dont want to upset our American forum members but sad to say if the movie had a few more battle scenes would have attracted a wider audience.

Having said that I have not seen the Thatcher movie yet{sm2}.

 

[Martin Tabony]

Dont want to upset our American forum members but sad to say if the movie had a few more battle scenes would have attracted a wider audience.

Having said that I have not seen the Thatcher movie yet{sm2}.

I know all I need to know about Thatcher and I wouldn't waist another penny on her!

 

[The Military Workshop]

I know all I need to know about Thatcher and I wouldn't waist another penny on her!

Martin, I will take that as a negative review {sm4} Brett

 

[jazzeum]

Dont want to upset our American forum members but sad to say if the movie had a few more battle scenes would have attracted a wider audience.

That is true but that is not the point of the movie or what Spielberg and Kushner were trying to convey: the legal eradication of slavery (as opposed to self-emancipation, which had been going on for some time). Some have complained that they should have mentioned Frederick Douglass but, again, how would he have fit into the story.

Regarding Django, some have grouped the movies together because how both portray slavery and Django has gotten high marks for that. However, in other ways -- use of the "n" word and slaves getting revenge on masters -- it has come in for criticism. Most slaves were not interested in revenge but having the chance to have their own lives as they wished.

I would expect Django to do better at the box office because it's Tarantino and there's more action. However, in the US, Lincoln has approximately $176 million vs $154 for Django. Overseas, it's different, primarily for the reasons I mentioned: Django has $187 million vs. $47 for Lincoln.