Lincoln ( film ) - Wikipedia Lincoln ( film ) Lincoln Theatrical release poster Directed by Steven Spielberg Produced by Steven Spielberg Kathleen Kennedy Screenplay by Tony Kushner Based on Team of Rivals : The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln by Doris Kearns Goodwin Starring Daniel Day - Lewis Sally Field David Strathairn Joseph Gordon - Levitt James Spader Hal Holbrook Tommy Lee Jones Music by John Williams Cinematography Janusz Kamiński Edited by Michael Kahn Production company DreamWorks Pictures 20th Century Fox Reliance Entertainment Participant Media Amblin Entertainment The Kennedy / Marshall Company Distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures ( North America ) 20th Century Fox ( International ) Release date October 8, 2012 ( 2012 - 10 - 08 ) ( New York Film Festival ) November 9, 2012 ( 2012 - 11 - 09 ) ( United States ) Running time 150 minutes Country United States Language English Budget $65 million Box office $275.3 million Lincoln is a 2012 American epic historical drama film directed and produced by Steven Spielberg, starring Daniel Day - Lewis as United States President Abraham Lincoln. The film also features Sally Field, David Strathairn, Joseph Gordon - Levitt, James Spader, Hal Holbrook and Tommy Lee Jones in supporting performances. The screenplay by Tony Kushner was loosely based on Doris Kearns Goodwin 's biography Team of Rivals : The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln, and covers the final four months of Lincoln 's life, focusing on his efforts in January 1865 to have the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution passed by the United States House of Representatives. The film was produced by Spielberg and frequent collaborator Kathleen Kennedy, through their respective production companies, Amblin Entertainment and the Kennedy / Marshall Company. Filming began October 17, 2011, and ended on December 19, 2011. Lincoln premiered on October 8, 2012 at the New York Film Festival. The film was co-produced by DreamWorks Pictures, 20th Century Fox, and Participant Media, and released theatrically by Touchstone Pictures in North America on November 9, 2012. The film was distributed by Fox in international territories. Lincoln received significant praise for the acting, especially Day - Lewis 's performance, as well as Spielberg 's direction, and production values. In December 2012, the film was nominated for seven Golden Globe Awards including Best Motion Picture -- Drama, Best Director for Spielberg and winning Best Actor ( Motion Picture -- Drama ) for Day - Lewis. At the 85th Academy Awards, the film was nominated for twelve Academy Awards including Best Picture and Best Director ; it won for Best Production Design and Best Actor for Day - Lewis. The film was also a commercial success, grossing over $275 million at the box office. Contents 1 Plot 2 Cast 3 Production 3.1 Development 3.2 Casting 3.3 Filming 3.4 Music 4 Release 5 Reception 5.1 Box office 5.2 Critical response 5.3 Historian response 5.4 Accolades 5.4. 1 Top ten lists 6 See also 7 References 8 Further reading 9 External links Plot This article 's plot summary may be too long or excessively detailed. Please help improve it by removing unnecessary details and making it more concise. ( March 2018 ) In January 1865, President Abraham Lincoln expects the Civil War to end soon, with the defeat of the Confederate States. He is concerned that his 1863 Emancipation Proclamation may be discarded by the courts after the war, and the proposed Thirteenth Amendment will be defeated by the returning slave states. He feels it imperative to pass the amendment beforehand, to remove any possibility that freed slaves might be re-enslaved. The Radical Republicans fear the amendment will be defeated by some who wish to delay its passage ; support from Republicans in the border states is not yet assured. The amendment also requires the support of several Democratic congressmen to pass. With dozens of Democrats being lame ducks after losing their re-election campaigns in the fall of 1864, some of Lincoln 's advisors believe he should wait for a new Republican - heavy Congress. Lincoln remains adamant about having the amendment in place before the war is concluded and the southern states readmitted. Lincoln 's hopes rely upon the support of Francis Preston Blair, a founder of the Republican Party whose influence could win over members of the western and border state conservative faction. With Union victory in the Civil War highly likely, but not yet secured, and with two sons serving in the Union Army, Blair is keen to end hostilities. Therefore, in return for his support, Blair insists that Lincoln allow him immediately to engage the Confederate government in peace negotiations. Yet Lincoln knows that significant support for the amendment comes from Radical Republicans, for whom negotiated peace is unacceptable. Unable to proceed without Blair 's support, Lincoln reluctantly authorizes Blair 's mission. In the meantime, Lincoln and Secretary of State William Seward work to secure Democratic votes for the amendment. Lincoln suggests they concentrate on the lame duck Democrats, as they will feel freer to vote as they choose, and will also soon need employment ; Lincoln will have many federal jobs to fill as he begins his second term. Though Lincoln and Seward are unwilling to offer monetary bribes to the Democrats, they authorize agents to contact Democratic congressmen with offers of federal jobs in exchange for their support. At a key moment in the debate, racial - equality advocate Thaddeus Stevens agrees to moderate his position and argue that the amendment represents only legal equality, not a declaration of actual equality. Meanwhile, Confederate envoys are ready to meet with Lincoln to discuss terms for peace, but he instructs they be kept out of Washington, as the amendment approaches a vote on the House floor. Rumor of their mission circulates, prompting both Democrats and conservative Republicans to advocate postponing the vote. But in a carefully worded statement, Lincoln denies there are envoys in Washington, and the vote proceeds, passing by a margin of just two votes. Black visitors to the gallery celebrate, and Stevens returns home to his `` housekeeper '' and lover, a black woman. When Lincoln meets with the Confederates, he tells them slavery can not be restored, as the North is united for ratification of the amendment, and several of the southern states ' reconstructed legislatures would also vote to ratify. On April 3, Lincoln visits the battlefield at Petersburg, Virginia, where he exchanges a few words with Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant. Six days later, Grant receives General Robert E. Lee 's surrender at Appomattox Courthouse. On April 14, Lincoln is meeting members of his cabinet to discuss future measures to enfranchise blacks, when he is reminded that First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln is waiting to take them to their evening at Ford 's Theatre. That night, while Lincoln 's son Tad is watching Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp at Grover 's Theatre, the manager suddenly stops the play to announce that the President has been shot. The next morning Lincoln dies ; Secretary of War Edwin Stanton declares, `` Now he belongs to the ages ''. Cast Lincoln household Daniel Day - Lewis as President Abraham Lincoln His performance earned Day - Lewis his third Academy Award for Best Actor, making him the only actor who has won three Oscars in the leading actor category. Sally Field as First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln Her performance earned Field a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. Gloria Reuben as Elizabeth Keckley, a former slave who was dressmaker and confidante to Mary Todd Lincoln. Joseph Gordon - Levitt as Robert Todd Lincoln Robert Lincoln had recently left his studies at Harvard Law School and was newly named a Union Army captain and personal attendant to General Grant. He returned to the White House on April 14, 1865 to visit his family. His father was assassinated that night. Gulliver McGrath as Tad Lincoln Stephen Henderson as Lincoln 's valet William Slade Elizabeth Marvel as Mrs. Jolly Union Army Adam Driver as Lincoln 's telegraph operator, historically Grant 's operator, Samuel Beckwith Jared Harris as Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant Asa - Luke Twocrow as Lieutenant Colonel Ely S. Parker, a Native American Military Secretary to Grant and drafter of the terms of the Confederate Army 's surrender at Appomattox Court House Colman Domingo as Private Harold Green David Oyelowo as Corporal Ira Clark Lukas Haas as First White Soldier Dane DeHaan as Second White Soldier White House David Strathairn as Secretary of State William H. Seward Bruce McGill as Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton Joseph Cross as Major John Hay, Lincoln 's military secretary Jeremy Strong as John George Nicolay, Lincoln 's private secretary Grainger Hines as Secretary of the Navy Gideon Welles Richard Topol as Attorney General James Speed Dakin Matthews as Secretary of the Interior John Palmer Usher Walt Smith as Secretary of the Treasury William P. Fessenden James Ike Eichling as Postmaster General William Dennison House of Representatives Tommy Lee Jones as Republican Congressman Thaddeus Stevens of Pennsylvania. A leader of the Radical Republicans and a fervent abolitionist, Stevens feared that Lincoln would `` turn his back on emancipation. '' Jones ' performance as Stevens earned him a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. Lee Pace as Democratic Congressman Fernando Wood of New York Peter McRobbie as Democratic Congressman George H. Pendleton of Ohio, leader of the Democratic opposition Bill Raymond as Speaker of the House Schuyler Colfax of Indiana, a Republican David Costabile as Republican Congressman James Ashley of Ohio Stephen Spinella as radical Republican Congressman Asa Vintner Litton Michael Stuhlbarg as Democratic Congressman George Yeaman of Kentucky Boris McGiver as Democratic Congressman Alexander Coffroth of Pennsylvania Walton Goggins as Democratic Congressman Clay Hawkins of Ohio. David Warshofsky as Congressman William Hutton, whose brother died in the war Michael Stanton Kennedy as Republican Congressman Hiram Price of Iowa Raynor Scheine as Republican Congressman Josiah S. ' Beanpole ' Burton of Missouri. Christopher Evan Welch as Clerk of the House Edward McPherson Republican Party Hal Holbrook as Francis Preston Blair Blair was an influential Republican politician who tried to arrange a peace agreement between the Union and the Confederacy. Holbrook had previously portrayed Lincoln in the 1976 mini-series Carl Sandburg 's Lincoln and in the 1980s North and South mini-series. James Spader as Republican Party operative William N. Bilbo Bilbo had been imprisoned but was freed by Lincoln, and then lobbied for passage of the Thirteenth Amendment. Tim Blake Nelson as lobbyist Richard Schell. ( Schell was a Democratic lobbyist who worked with Republicans to obtain votes in the House for passage of the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution. ) John Hawkes as Republican operative Colonel Robert Latham Byron Jennings as Conservative Republican Montgomery Blair, son of Francis Preston Blair Julie White as Elizabeth Blair Lee : Lee was the daughter of Francis Preston Blair, and wrote hundreds of letters documenting events during the Civil War S. Epatha Merkerson as Lydia Smith : Smith was Thaddeus Stevens ' biracial housekeeper. Wayne Duvall as Radical Republican Senator Benjamin `` Bluff Ben '' Wade John Hutton as Senator Charles Sumner Confederate States Jackie Earle Haley as Confederate States Vice President Alexander H. Stephens Stephens had served with Lincoln in Congress from 1847 to 1849. He met with Abraham Lincoln on the steamboat River Queen at the unsuccessful Hampton Roads Conference on February 3, 1865 Gregory Itzin as John Archibald Campbell Campbell was a former Supreme Court Justice who had resigned at the start of war and then served as Assistant Secretary of War in the Confederate government. He was also a member of the Confederate delegation that met with Lincoln at the Hampton Roads Conference. Michael Shiflett as the third Confederate delegate to Hampton Roads, Senate President Robert M.T. Hunter Christopher Boyer ( non-speaking role ) as Robert E. Lee Production Development While consulting on a Steven Spielberg project in 1999, Goodwin told Spielberg she was planning to write Team of Rivals, and Spielberg immediately told her he wanted the film rights. DreamWorks finalized the deal in 2001, and by the end of the year, John Logan signed on to write the script. His draft focused on Lincoln 's friendship with Frederick Douglass. Playwright Paul Webb was hired to rewrite and filming was set to begin in January 2006, but Spielberg delayed it out of dissatisfaction with the script. Liam Neeson said Webb 's draft covered the entirety of Lincoln 's term as President. Tony Kushner replaced Webb. Kushner considered Lincoln `` the greatest democratic leader in the world '' and found the writing assignment daunting because `` I have no idea ( what made him great ) ; I do n't understand what he did any more than I understand how William Shakespeare wrote Hamlet or Mozart wrote Così fan tutte. '' Kushner said Lincoln 's abolitionist ideals made him appealing to a Jewish writer, and although he felt Lincoln was Christian, he noted the president rarely quoted the New Testament and that his `` thinking and his ethical deliberation seem very talmudic ''. By late 2008, Kushner joked he was on his `` 967,000 th book about Abraham Lincoln ''. Kushner 's initial 500 - page draft focused on four months in the life of Lincoln, and by February 2009 he had rewritten it to focus on two months in Lincoln 's life when he was preoccupied with adopting the Thirteenth Amendment. Casting Spielberg first approached Daniel Day - Lewis about the project in 2003, but Day - Lewis turned down the part at the time, believing the idea of himself playing Lincoln to be `` preposterous ''. Liam Neeson was then cast as Lincoln in January 2005, having previously worked with Spielberg in Schindler 's List. In preparation for the role, Neeson studied Lincoln extensively. However, in July 2010, Neeson left the project, saying that he had grown too old for the part. Neeson was 58 at the time, and Lincoln, during the time period depicted, was 55 and 56. In an interview with GQ Neeson stated that he realized during a table read that the part was not right for him in `` a thunderbolt moment '' and after the read requested that Spielberg recast his role. Co-star Sally Field, in a 2012 PBS interview, intimated that Neeson 's decision was influenced by the death of his wife Natasha Richardson less than a year earlier. In November 2010, it was announced that Day - Lewis would replace Neeson in the role. While promoting Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull in May 2008, Spielberg announced his intention to start filming in early 2009, for release in November, ten months after the 200th anniversary of Lincoln 's birth. In January 2009, Taunton and Dighton, Massachusetts were being scouted as potential locations. Spielberg arranged a $50 million budget for the film, to please Paramount Pictures CEO Brad Grey, who had previously delayed the project over concerns it was too similar to Spielberg 's commercially unsuccessful Amistad ( 1997 ). Spielberg had wanted Touchstone Pictures -- which agreed to distribute all his films from 2010 -- to distribute the film, but he was unable to afford paying off Paramount, which had collaborated with DreamWorks on the film 's development. Filming Filming took place in Richmond, Fredericksburg, and Petersburg, Virginia. In reference to Petersburg, according to location manager Colleen Gibbons, `` one thing that attracted the filmmakers to the city was the 180 - degree vista of historic structures '' which is `` very rare ''. The Virginia State Capitol served as the exteriors and interiors of the U.S Capitol, and the exteriors of the White House. The House of Delegates inside the building was remodeled to fit for The House of Representatives Chamber set. Scenes representing Grovers Theatre were filmed in Fredericksburg, Virginia, at Virginia Repertory Theatre 's November Theatre. Music John Williams composed and conducted the score. The score was recorded by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and the Chicago Symphony Chorus. The soundtrack album was released by Sony Classical on November 6, 2012. Lincoln : Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Film score by John Williams Released November 6, 2012 ( 2012 - 11 - 06 ) Recorded 2012 Studio Symphony Center, Chicago Genre Soundtrack Length 58 : 46 Label Sony Classical Producer John Williams All music was composed by Williams, except `` Battle Cry of Freedom, '' which was written in 1862 by American composer George Frederick Root ( 1820 -- 1895 ) during the American Civil War. No. Title Length 1. `` The People 's House '' 3 : 43 2. `` The Purpose of the Amendment '' 3 : 07 3. `` Getting Out the Vote '' 2 : 49 4. `` The American Process '' 3 : 57 5. `` The Blue and Grey '' 3 : 00 6. `` '' With Malice Toward None `` '' 1 : 51 7. `` Call to Muster, and Battle Cry of Freedom '' 2 : 17 8. `` The Southern Delegation, and the Dream '' 4 : 43 9. `` Father and Son '' 1 : 42 10. `` The Race to the House '' 2 : 42 11. `` Equality under the Law '' 3 : 12 12. `` Freedom 's Call '' 6 : 08 13. `` Elegy '' 2 : 35 14. `` Remembering Willie '' 1 : 51 15. `` Appomattox, April 9, 1865 '' 2 : 38 16. `` The Peterson House, and Finale '' 11 : 00 17. `` '' With Malice Toward None '' ( Piano Solo ) '' 1 : 31 Total length : 58 : 46 Release Lincoln held its world premiere at the New York Film Festival on October 8, 2012. The film was also screened at the 2012 AFI Film Festival on November 8, 2012. Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures distributed the film in North America through the Touchstone Pictures banner, while 20th Century Fox distributed the film in the remaining international territories. Disney Publishing Worldwide released several companion books and ancillary literature in anticipation of the film, including Lincoln : A Cinematic and Historical Companion and Lincoln : A Spielberg Film -- Discover the Story. DreamWorks and Google Play released the film 's trailer during a Google+ hangout with Spielberg and Joseph Gordon - Levitt on September 13, 2012. Then, on September 10, 2012, a teaser for the trailer was released. Lincoln was released by Touchstone Home Entertainment on Blu - ray, DVD, and digital download in North America on March 26, 2013. The film debuted at No. 1 in Blu - ray and DVD sales in its first week of release. Disney Educational Productions donated DVD copies of the film and a teaching guide titled Stand Tall : Live Like Lincoln to more than 37,100 secondary schools in the United States, after Spielberg received letters from educators requesting to incorporate the film into their curriculum. Reception Box Office Lincoln earned $182,207,973 in North America from 2,293 theaters and $93,085,477 overseas for a total of $275,293,450, well exceeding its $65 million budget. The film had a limited opening in 11 theaters with $944,308 and an average of $85,846 per theater. It opened at the # 15 rank, becoming the highest opening of a film with such a limited release. The film opened in 1,175 theaters with $21,049,406 and an average of $11,859 per theater. Due to the widespread success of Lincoln, Disney produced additional prints of the film to accommodate theater demand. Critical response Lincoln received worldwide critical acclaim. The cast was notably lauded, especially Day - Lewis, Field, and Jones. The film currently holds a 90 % approval rating on the review aggregate website Rotten Tomatoes, based on 263 reviews with an average rating of 8 / 10, with the critical consensus `` Daniel Day - Lewis characteristically delivers in this witty, dignified portrait that immerses the audience in its world and entertains even as it informs. '' On Metacritic, which assigns a rating out of 100 based on reviews from critics, the film has a score of 86 ( out of 100 ) based on 44 reviews, indicating `` universal acclaim '', thus making it Spielberg 's highest rated film on the site since Saving Private Ryan. Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun - Times gave the film 4 out of 4 stars and said, `` The hallmark of the man, performed so powerfully by Daniel Day - Lewis in Lincoln, is calm self - confidence, patience and a willingness to play politics in a realistic way. '' Glenn Kenny of MSN Movies gave it 5 out of 5 stars stating, `` It 's the most remarkable movie Steven Spielberg has made in quite a spell, and one of the things that makes it remarkable is how it fulfills those expectations by simultaneously ignoring and transcending them. '' Colin Covert of the Star Tribune wrote, `` Lincoln is one of those rare projects where a great director, a great actor and a great writer amplify one another 's gifts. The team of Steven Spielberg, Daniel Day - Lewis and Tony Kushner has brought forth a triumphant piece of historical journalism, a profound work of popular art and a rich examination of one of our darkest epochs. '' It was praised by Charlie McCollum of the San Jose Mercury News as `` one of the finest historical dramas ever committed to film. '' Despite mostly positive reviews, Rex Reed of The New York Observer stated, `` In all, there 's too much material, too little revelation and almost nothing of Spielberg 's reliable cinematic flair. '' However, the reviews have been unanimous in their praise of Day - Lewis 's performance as Abraham Lincoln. A.O. Scott from The New York Times stated the film `` is finally a movie about how difficult and costly it has been for the United States to recognize the full and equal humanity of black people '' and concluded that the movie was `` a rough and noble democratic masterpiece ''. Scott also stated that Lincoln 's concern about his wife 's emotional instability and `` the strains of a wartime presidency... produce a portrait that is intimate but also decorous, drawn with extraordinary sensitivity and insight and focused, above all, on Lincoln 's character as a politician. This is, in other words, less a biopic than a political thriller, a civics lesson that is energetically staged and alive with moral energy. '' Lebanese film critic Anis Tabet gave the film a positive review, giving it a 3.5 / 4 rating. As reported in the Maariv newspaper, on February 3, 2013, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and his ministers discussed Spielberg 's film, which several of them saw in Israeli cinemas. They debated whether the end of abolishing slavery justified the means used by Lincoln, and also compared Lincoln 's predicament with their own complicated situation in the confused aftermath of the 2013 Israeli elections. The review by The Daily Mail suggested : `` The sad truth is that Spielberg and his writer Tony Kushner are offering a phoney, sanitised version of Lincoln. '' Historian response Eric Foner ( Columbia University ), a Pulitzer Prize -- winning historian of the period, claimed in a letter to The New York Times that `` The film grossly exaggerates the possibility that by January 1865 the war might have ended with slavery still intact. '' He also noted, `` The 13th Amendment originated not with Lincoln but with a petition campaign early in 1864 organized by the Women 's National Loyal League, an organization of abolitionist feminists headed by Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton. '' Kate Masur ( Northwestern University ) accuses the film of oversimplifying the role of blacks in abolition and dismissed the effort as `` an opportunity squandered '' in an op - ed for The New York Times. Harold Holzer, co-chair of the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Foundation and author of more than 40 books, served as a consultant to the film and praised it, but also observed that there is `` no shortage of small historical bloopers in the movie '' in a piece for The Daily Beast. Holzer states, `` As for the Spielberg movie 's opening scene,... it is almost inconceivable that any uniformed soldier of the day ( or civilians, for that matter ) would have memorized a speech that, however ingrained in modern memory, did not achieve any semblance of a national reputation until the 20th century. '' Barry Bradford, a member of the Organization of American Historians, offers an analysis of some of the finer historical points of the film 's representation of clothing, relationships and appearance. Allen Guelzo ( Gettysburg College ), also writing for The Daily Beast, had some plot criticism, but disagreed with Holzer, arguing that, `` The pains that have been taken in the name of historical authenticity in this movie are worth hailing just on their own terms ''. In a later interview with the World Socialist Web Site Guelzo claimed that `` the film was 90 percent on the mark, which given the way Hollywood usually does history is saying something ''. David Stewart, independent historical author, writing for History News Network, described Spielberg 's work as `` reasonably solid history '', and told readers of HNN to `` go see it with a clear conscience ''. Lincoln biographer Ronald White also admired the film, though he noted a few mistakes and pointed out in an interview with NPR, `` Is every word true ? No. '' Historian Joshua M. Zeitz, writing in The Atlantic, noted some minor mistakes, but concluded `` Lincoln is not a perfect film, but it is an important film ''. Following a screening during the film 's opening weekend, the Minnesota Civil War Commemoration Task Force held a panel discussion in which Dr. David Woodard of Concordia University remarked, `` I always look at these films to see if a regular person who was n't a ' Lincoln nut ' would want to read a book about it after they watched the movie. I get the impression that most people who are not history buffs will now want to read something about Lincoln. '' Accolades Main article : List of accolades received by Lincoln ( film ) Top ten lists Lincoln was listed on many critics ' top ten lists. 1st -- David Denby, The New Yorker ( tied with Zero Dark Thirty ) 1st -- Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly 1st -- Stephen Holden, The New York Times 1st -- Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle 2nd -- Lisa Schwarzbaum, Entertainment Weekly 2nd -- David Edelstein, New York 2nd -- Betsy Sharkey, Los Angeles Times ( tied with Django Unchained ) 2nd -- Christopher Orr, The Atlantic 2nd -- Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune 2nd -- Ann Hornaday, The Washington Post 2nd -- Huffington Post 2nd -- A.O. Scott, The New York Times 3rd -- Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun - Times 3rd -- Mike Scott, The Times - Picayune 3rd -- James Berardinelli, Reelviews 3rd -- Mary Pols, Time 3rd -- Dana Stevens, Slate 4th -- Peter Travers, Rolling Stone 4th -- Rene Rodriguez, Miami Herald 4th -- Bill Goodykoontz, Arizona Republic 4th -- Joshua Rothkopf, Time Out New York 4th -- Alison Willmore, The A.V. Club 4th -- Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer 5th -- Anne Thompson, Indiewire 5th -- Joe Neumaier, New York Daily News 6th -- Ty Burr, Boston Globe 6th -- David Fear, Time Out New York 6th -- Kristopher Tapley, HitFix 6th -- Jake Coyle, Associated Press 6th -- Andrew O'Hehir, Salon.com 7th -- Glenn Kenny, MSN Movies 8th -- David Germain, Associated Press 8th -- Lisa Kennedy, Denver Post 10th -- Melissa Anderson, Village Voice 10th -- Richard Roeper, Chicago Sun - Times Best of 2014 ( listed alphabetically, not ranked ) -- Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times Top 10 ( listed alphabetically ) -- Bob Mondello, NPR Top 10 ( ranked alphabetically ) -- Claudia Puig, USA Today Top 10 ( listed alphabetically ) -- Joe Morgenstern, The Wall Street Journal See also Cultural depictions of Abraham Lincoln White savior narrative in film List of films featuring slavery American Civil War portal Film portal References Jump up ^ The Deadline Team ( July 18, 2012 ). `` Disney Dates Steven Spielberg 's Lincoln Into Awards - Season Fray ''. Jump up ^ `` LINCOLN ( 12A ) ''. British Board of Film Classification. November 28, 2012. Retrieved November 28, 2012. Jump up ^ McClintock, Pamela ( 17 October 2013 ). `` DreamWorks ' Stacey Snider Reveals How Studio Slimmed Down to Stay Alive ''. The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 9 December 2013. ^ Jump up to : `` Lincoln ( 2012 ) ''. Box Office Mojo. Retrieved April 28, 2013. Jump up ^ Breznican, Anthony ( April 13, 2011 ). `` Steven Spielberg 's ' Lincoln ' gets its Mary Todd : Sally Field ''. Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved June 28, 2011. Jump up ^ McClintock, Pamela ( October 12, 2011 ). `` Participant Media Boarding Steven Spielberg 's ' Lincoln ' ( Exclusive ) ''. The Hollywood Reporter. Los Angeles. Retrieved October 15, 2011. Jump up ^ `` Filmmakers really liked Petersburg ''. The Progress - Index. Petersburg, Virginia. December 29, 2011. Archived from the original on November 25, 2012. Retrieved January 22, 2012. Jump up ^ Fischer, Russ ( November 19, 2010 ). `` Daniel Day - Lewis to Star in Steven Spielberg 's Lincoln ''. / Film. ^ Jump up to : McClintock, Pamela ( January 23, 2012 ). `` Fox Partnering with DreamWorks on Steven Spielberg 's ' Lincoln ' ''. The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on July 1, 2014. Retrieved June 18, 2014. Jump up ^ `` Archived copy ''. Archived from the original on May 2, 2013. Retrieved 2013 - 02 - 25. Jump up ^ Fischer, Russ ( November 19, 2010 ). `` Daniel Day - Lewis to Star in Steven Spielberg 's Lincoln ''. / Film. Retrieved June 28, 2011. Jump up ^ Chitwood, Adam ( April 13, 2011 ). `` Sally Field Set to Play Mary Todd Lincoln in Steven Spielberg 's LINCOLN ''. Collider.com. Retrieved June 28, 2011. ^ Jump up to : `` Spielberg 's Lincoln Casts Every Other Good Actor Under The Sun ''. Retrieved November 25, 2011. ^ Jump up to : Goetz, Barrett ( May 5, 2011 ). `` Tommy Lee Jones & Joseph Gordon - Levitt Join Spielberg 's Lincoln ''. TheMovieMash.com. Retrieved June 28, 2011. ^ Jump up to : Goodwin, Doris Kearns ( 2006 ). Team of Rivals. Simon & Schuster. pp. 686 -- 754. ISBN 978 - 0 - 7432 - 7075 - 5. Jump up ^ Labrecque, Jeff ( November 28, 2011 ). `` ' Lincoln ' : Meet the Cast ''. Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved December 1, 2011. ^ Jump up to : Lipton, Brian Scott ( November 28, 2011 ). `` Steven Spielberg 's Lincoln Announces Additional Casting ''. TheaterMania.com. Retrieved November 28, 2011. Jump up ^ `` Lincoln ( 2012 ) : Full Cast & Crew ''. IMDb.com. Retrieved 2016 - 07 - 27. Jump up ^ `` David Oyelowo Joins Steven Spielberg 's Lincoln ''. Retrieved November 24, 2011. Jump up ^ Joshua L. Weinstein ( June 27, 2011 ). `` David Strathairn Joins DreamWorks ' ' Lincoln ' ''. TheWrap.com. Retrieved June 28, 2011. Jump up ^ Jeanne Jakle ( July 30, 2011 ). `` Jeanne Jakle : McGill 's profile going higher and higher ''. mysanantonio.com. Retrieved July 30, 2011. ^ Jump up to : `` Lincoln ( 2012 ) - Full cast and crew ''. Imdb.com, Inc. Retrieved 8 April 2013. Jump up ^ `` Walton Goggins Joins Cast Of Lincoln ''. Deadline Hollywood. July 11, 2011. Retrieved November 28, 2011. Jump up ^ `` Tim Blake Nelson tapped for Spielberg 's ' Lincoln ' film in 2012 ''. Retrieved November 25, 2011. Jump up ^ Vincent, Mal ( October 14, 2011 ). `` Spielberg 's ' Lincoln ' takes Richmond ''. The Virginian - Pilot. Norfolk, Virginia. Archived from the original on October 15, 2011. Retrieved October 15, 2011. ^ Jump up to : Ruben V. Nepales ( May 18, 2008 ). `` Spielberg may co-direct next with Peter Jackson ''. Philippine Daily Inquirer. Archived from the original on May 18, 2008. Retrieved May 18, 2008. ^ Jump up to : Michael Fleming ( January 11, 2005 ). `` Lincoln logs in at DreamWorks : Spielberg, Neeson eye Abe pic ''. Variety. Retrieved January 24, 2007. Jump up ^ `` Logan Scripting Spielberg 's Lincoln ''. IGN. December 7, 2001. Archived from the original on January 3, 2013. Retrieved July 21, 2008. Jump up ^ `` Lincoln Update ''. IGN. January 23, 2003. Archived from the original on December 13, 2010. Retrieved July 21, 2008. Jump up ^ Ron Grover ( April 17, 2006 ). `` The Director 's Cut ''. BusinessWeek. Retrieved August 10, 2007. ^ Jump up to : Jeffrey Wells ( February 2, 2009 ). `` Spielberg 's Lincoln in December ? ''. Hollywood Elsewhere. Archived from the original on February 12, 2009. Retrieved February 10, 2009. Jump up ^ Naomi Pffefferman ( October 25, 2007 ). `` Kushner 's ( old ) testament to Lincoln ''. The Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles. Retrieved November 22, 2008. Jump up ^ Karen Bovard ( November 20, 2008 ). `` Lincoln Logs ''. Hartford Advocate. Retrieved November 23, 2008. Jump up ^ `` Abraham Lincoln As You 've Never Heard Him Before ''. The New York Times. Retrieved 2016 - 07 - 27. Jump up ^ Max Evry ( January 24, 2007 ). `` Liam Neeson Talks Lincoln ''. ComingSoon.net. Retrieved May 12, 2008. Jump up ^ Simon Reynolds ( July 30, 2010 ). `` Neeson quits Spielberg 's Lincoln biopic ''. Digital Spy. Jump up ^ Hainey, Michael. `` The GQ Cover Story : Liam Neeson ''. GQ. p. 3. Retrieved 12 January 2015. Jump up ^ `` Actress Sally Field, Part 1 ''. Tavis Smiley. Season 9. November 15, 2012. 08 : 00 minutes in. PBS. Retrieved January 11, 2013. Jump up ^ Tom Chiarella ( February 15, 2011 ). `` The Hard Luck and Beautiful Life of Liam Neeson ''. Esquire. Hearst Communications. Retrieved January 11, 2013. Jump up ^ Shoard, Catherine ( November 19, 2010 ). `` Daniel Day - Lewis set for Steven Spielberg 's Lincoln film ''. The Guardian. Retrieved November 19, 2010. Jump up ^ Sheigh Crabtree ( May 10, 2008 ). `` Steven Spielberg : He wants to shoot ' Abraham Lincoln ' in 2009 ''. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 10, 2008. Jump up ^ Charles Winokoor ( February 7, 2009 ). `` Film crews may be back in Silver City ''. Taunton Daily Gazette. Retrieved February 10, 2009. Jump up ^ Kim Masters ( February 17, 2009 ). `` Spielberg 's Lincoln Troubles ''. Slate. Retrieved February 18, 2009. Jump up ^ Wiggins, F.M. ( November 17, 2011 ). `` Lincoln film to come to Petersburg next month ''. The Progress - Index. Petersburg, Virginia. Archived from the original on November 28, 2011. Retrieved November 28, 2011. Jump up ^ `` IMDb > Lincoln ( 2012 ) > Filming locations ''. imdb.com. Retrieved July 27, 2016. Jump up ^ `` John Williams ' Tracklist For Score To Steven Spielberg 's ' Lincoln ' Is Suitably Important & Historical ''. Retrieved August 27, 2012. Jump up ^ `` John Williams ' Lincoln Score Gently Spoils A Few Key Scenes ''. Retrieved September 30, 2012. Jump up ^ Finke, Nikki ( October 4, 2012 ). `` Surprise : Steven Spielberg 's ' Lincoln ' To Premiere Monday At New York Film Festival ''. Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved May 28, 2014. Jump up ^ Chan, Stephanie ( November 9, 2012 ). `` Steven Spielberg Receives Standing Ovation at ' Lincoln ' L.A. Premiere ''. The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved May 28, 2014. Jump up ^ Henderson, Jane ( 16 November 2012 ). `` A few books tied to Spielberg 's ' Lincoln ' ''. St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Retrieved 14 February 2013. Jump up ^ `` Lincoln Google Hangout and Trailer Premiere Announced for September 13th ''. ComingSoon.net. Los Angeles, CA. September 4, 2012. Retrieved September 4, 2012. Jump up ^ `` Take a Sneak Peek at Steven Spielberg 's Lincoln Trailer ''. ComingSoon.net. Los Angeles, CA. September 10, 2012. Retrieved September 10, 2012. Jump up ^ Justin Sluss ( 10 January 2013 ). `` Steven Spielberg 's Oscar nominated Lincoln comes to Blu - ray in March ''. Archived from the original on January 12, 2014. Retrieved 8 April 2013. Jump up ^ `` ' Lincoln ' top DVD and Blu - ray seller ; ' Argo ' top rental ''. The Los Angeles Times. 8 April 2013. Retrieved 24 April 2013. Jump up ^ Ford, Rebecca ( 11 February 2013 ). `` ' Lincoln ' DVDs to Go to All U.S. Middle and High Schools ''. The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 30 March 2013. Jump up ^ `` Disney will give `` Lincoln '' DVD to every middle, high school in U.S. '' The Denver Post. 12 February 2013. Retrieved 30 March 2013. Jump up ^ Solis, Liana ( 18 February 2013 ). `` Disney announces it will donate Lincoln movie to schools ''. The Daily Toreador. Retrieved 19 March 2013. Jump up ^ Lang, Derrick ( December 3, 2012 ). `` ' Lincoln ' Box Office So Strong, Disney Having Hard Time Keeping Up With Demand ''. The Huffington Post. Retrieved 12 January 2013. Jump up ^ `` Lincoln ''. Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved January 3, 2013. Jump up ^ `` Lincoln ''. Metacritic. Retrieved November 21, 2012. Jump up ^ `` Roger Ebert 's review of Lincoln ''. Retrieved November 15, 2012. Jump up ^ `` Review by Glenn Kenny ( MSN Movies ) ''. Retrieved January 3, 2013. Jump up ^ `` Making history with ' Lincoln ' ''. Retrieved January 11, 2013. Jump up ^ McCollum, Charlie ( 2012 - 11 - 07 ). `` Review : An epic ' Lincoln ' ''. San Jose Mercury News. ^ Jump up to : Scott, A.O. ( 8 November 2012 ). `` A President Engaged in a Great Civil War ''. The New York Times. Retrieved 9 November 2012. Jump up ^ anistabet ( 2013 - 01 - 13 ). `` Lincoln ( 2012 ) Let 's tlk abt movies ''. Tlkabtmovies.com. Retrieved 2013 - 02 - 23. Jump up ^ Shalom Yerushalmi, `` Throne Games '' ( Hebrew : משחקי הכס ), a commentary on the week 's political events, Maariv, Feb. 8, 2013 Jump up ^ Tookey, Chris ( January 24, 2013 ). `` Abe needs a few amendments : Spielberg 's Lincoln biopic is heavy on heroic speeches but light on the historical truth ''. MailOnline Jump up ^ `` Lincoln 's Use of Politics for Noble Ends ''. NYTimes.com. 2012 - 11 - 26. Retrieved 2012 - 12 - 04. Jump up ^ Kate Masur ( 2012 - 11 - 12 ). `` In Spielberg 's Lincoln, Passive Black Characters ''. NYTimes.com. Retrieved 2012 - 12 - 04. Jump up ^ Harold Holzer ( 2012 - 11 - 22 ). `` What 's True and False in Lincoln Movie ''. The Daily Beast. Retrieved 2012 - 12 - 04. Jump up ^ Barry Bradford. `` Is the Lincoln Movie Historically Accurate ? ''. Jump up ^ Frum, David ( 2012 - 11 - 27 ). `` A Civil War Professor Reviews ' Lincoln ' ''. The Daily Beast. Retrieved 2012 - 12 - 04. Jump up ^ `` Understanding Lincoln : An interview with historian Allen Guelzo ''. World Socialist Web Site. Retrieved 15 April 2013. Jump up ^ David O. Stewart ( November 20, 2012 ). `` How True is `` Lincoln '' ? History News Network ``. Hnn.us. Retrieved 2012 - 12 - 04. Jump up ^ Updated : Nov 23, 2012 04 : 49 PM EST ( 2012 - 11 - 23 ). `` Fact - Checking Steven Spielberg 's ' Lincoln ' Movie with Biographer Ronald C. White : Books : Books & Review ''. Booksnreview.com. Retrieved 2012 - 12 - 04. Jump up ^ `` Fact - Checking ' Lincoln ' : Lincoln 's Mostly Realistic ; His Advisers Are n't -- Joshua Zeitz ''. The Atlantic. Retrieved 2012 - 12 - 04. Jump up ^ `` Panel Discussion for the film LINCOLN ''. This Week in the Civil War. 2013 - 01 - 16. Retrieved 2013 - 02 - 23. Jump up ^ `` Film Critic Top 10 Lists - Best of 2012 ''. Metacritic. Retrieved 2016 - 07 - 27. Further reading Mitchell, Mary Niall. `` Seeing Lincoln : Spielberg 's Film and the Visual Culture of the Nineteenth Century, '' Rethinking History 19 ( Sept. 2015 ), 493 - 505. Dimock, Wai Chee ( Winter 2013 ). `` Crowdsourcing History : Ishmael Reed, Tony Kushner, and Steven Spielberg Update the Civil War ''. American Literary History. 25 ( 4 ) : 896 -- 914. doi : 10.1093 / alh / ajt044. External links Wikiquote has quotations related to : Lincoln ( film ) Official website Lincoln on IMDb Lincoln at the TCM Movie Database Lincoln at AllMovie Lincoln at Rotten Tomatoes Lincoln at Metacritic Lincoln at Box Office Mojo Lincoln Learning Hub at Disney.com Official production notes hide Steven Spielberg Filmography Awards and nominations Films directed Firelight ( 1964 ) Slipstream ( 1967 ) Amblin ' ( 1968 ) Night Gallery ( `` Eyes '' segment, 1969 ) L.A. 2017 ( 1971 ) Duel ( 1971 ) Something Evil ( 1972 ) Savage ( 1973 ) The Sugarland Express ( 1974, also wrote ) Jaws ( 1975 ) Close Encounters of the Third Kind ( 1977, also wrote ) 1941 ( 1979 ) Raiders of the Lost Ark ( 1981 ) E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial ( 1982 ) Twilight Zone : The Movie ( `` Kick the Can '' segment, 1983 ) Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom ( 1984 ) The Color Purple ( 1985 ) Empire of the Sun ( 1987 ) Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade ( 1989 ) Always ( 1989 ) Hook ( 1991 ) Jurassic Park ( 1993 ) Schindler 's List ( 1993 ) The Lost World : Jurassic Park ( 1997 ) Amistad ( 1997 ) Saving Private Ryan ( 1998 ) A.I. Artificial Intelligence ( 2001, also wrote ) Minority Report ( 2002 ) Catch Me If You Can ( 2002 ) The Terminal ( 2004 ) War of the Worlds ( 2005 ) Munich ( 2005 ) Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull ( 2008 ) The Adventures of Tintin ( 2011 ) War Horse ( 2011 ) Lincoln ( 2012 ) Bridge of Spies ( 2015 ) The BFG ( 2016 ) The Post ( 2017 ) Ready Player One ( 2018 ) Films written Ace Eli and Rodger of the Skies ( 1973 ) Poltergeist ( 1982, also produced ) The Goonies ( 1985 ) Films produced An American Tail : Fievel Goes West ( 1991 ) Memoirs of a Geisha ( 2005 ) Flags of Our Fathers ( 2006 ) Letters from Iwo Jima ( 2006 ) Super 8 ( 2011 ) The Hundred - Foot Journey ( 2014 ) Television Amazing Stories ( 1985 -- 87 ) High Incident ( 1996 -- 97 ) Invasion America ( 1998 ) See also Steven Spielberg bibliography Amblin Partners Amblin Entertainment Amblin Television DreamWorks Television Amblimation DreamWorks USC Shoah Foundation Institute for Visual History and Education hide Abraham Lincoln 16th President of the United States ( 1861 -- 1865 ) U.S. Representative from Illinois ( 1847 -- 1849 ) Presidency First inauguration Perpetual Union Lincoln Bible Second inauguration Civil War Confiscation Acts President Lincoln 's 75,000 volunteers War based income tax Seaports blockade RMS Trent Affair Habeas Corpus suspended Emancipation Proclamation West Virginia statehood Overland Campaign strategy Hampton Roads Conference Tour of Richmond Ten percent plan Reconstruction 13th Amendment abolishing slavery Dakota War of 1862 Department of the Northwest Homestead Act of 1862 National Banking Acts Thanksgiving Day Birchard Letter Bixby letter National Academy of Sciences Department of Agriculture Pardons State of the Union Address, 1863 1864 Cabinet Judicial appointments Assassination Funeral and burial Lincoln Catafalque Speeches Lyceum address ( 1838 ) Peoria speech ( 1854 ) `` Lost Speech '' ( 1856 ) House Divided speech ( 1858 ) Lincoln - Douglas debates ( 1858 ) Cooper Union Address ( 1860 ) Farewell Address ( 1861 ) First inaugural address ( 1861 ) Gettysburg Address ( 1863 event ) Second inaugural address ( 1865 ) Life and views Early life and career Black Hawk War Matson Trial Spot Resolutions Boat lifting patent Hurd v. Rock Island Bridge Co. Baltimore Plot Lincoln 's beard Medical and mental health Poetry Religious views Sexuality Slavery Fanny McCullough letter Homes and places Lincoln Birthplace Knob Creek Farm Lincoln Boyhood Memorial Lincoln State Park Lincoln Trail Homestead State Memorial Lincoln 's New Salem Lincoln Home Lincoln Pioneer Village Little Pigeon Creek Community Cottage at the Soldier 's Home Lincoln Bedroom Lincoln Sitting Room Ford 's Theatre Petersen House Lincoln Tomb Elections Republican National Convention, 1856 1860 1864 National Union Party United States presidential election, 1860 1864 1860 campaign song Legacy Presidential Library and Museum Papers Lincoln / Net Bibliography Artifacts and relics Lincoln Memorial sculpture reflecting pool Mount Rushmore Lincoln 's Birthday Lincoln, Nebraska statue Abraham Lincoln ( Healy painting ) Abraham Lincoln sculpture, Washington D.C. Abraham Lincoln : The Man statue Lincoln Park Abraham Lincoln : The Head of State statue Lincoln Trail State Memorial Lincoln the Lawyer statue Kentucky statue The Peacemakers painting Lincoln Highway Other memorials Photographs Cultural depictions films postage stamps Lincoln penny Illinois Centennial half dollar currency five - dollar bill art Lincoln Prize Abraham Lincoln Association White House ghost Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln Lincoln -- Kennedy coincidences Aircraft Carrier USS Abraham Lincoln Family Family tree Mary Todd Lincoln ( wife ) Robert Todd Lincoln ( son ) Edward Baker Lincoln ( son ) William Wallace Lincoln ( son ) Thomas `` Tad '' Lincoln ( son ) Mary Todd `` Mamie '' Lincoln ( granddaughter ) Abraham Lincoln II ( grandson ) Jessie Lincoln ( granddaughter ) Thomas Lincoln ( father ) Nancy Hanks Lincoln ( mother ) Sarah Bush Lincoln ( stepmother ) Sarah Lincoln Grigsby ( sister ) Abraham Lincoln ( paternal grandfather ) Mordecai Lincoln ( paternal uncle ) Mary Lincoln Crume ( paternal aunt ) John Hanks ( maternal cousin ) Joseph Hanks ( great - grandfather ) Samuel Lincoln ( 17th - century ancestor ) Mary Lincoln Beckwith ( great - granddaughter ) Robert Todd Lincoln Beckwith ( great - grandson ) Timothy Lincoln Beckwith ( great - great - grandson ) Old Bob ( horse ) ← James Buchanan Andrew Johnson → Book Outline Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Lincoln_(film)&oldid=843820517 '' Categories : 2012 films English - language films 2010s biographical films 2010s drama films 2010s war films 20th Century Fox films Amblin Entertainment films American biographical films American Civil War films American films American political drama films American war films Biographical films about Abraham Lincoln Cultural depictions of Abraham Lincoln Cultural depictions of Ulysses S. Grant Courtroom films Drama films based on actual events DreamWorks Pictures films Dune Entertainment films Films scored by John Williams Films about American slavery Films about politicians Films about Presidents of the United States Films based on non-fiction books Films directed by Steven Spielberg Films featuring a Best Actor Academy Award - winning performance Films featuring a Best Drama Actor Golden Globe winning performance Films produced by Kathleen Kennedy Films produced by Steven Spielberg Films set in 1864 Films set in 1865 Films set in Virginia Films set in Washington, D.C. Films shot in Virginia Films whose art director won the Best Art Direction Academy Award Participant Media films Political films based on actual events Reliance Entertainment films The Kennedy / Marshall Company films Touchstone Pictures films War films based on actual events Films set in the White House Hidden categories : Wikipedia articles with plot summary needing attention from March 2018 All Wikipedia articles with plot summary needing attention Articles with hAudio microformats Album infoboxes lacking a cover Music infoboxes with deprecated parameters Use mdy dates from May 2012 Talk Contents About Wikipedia Wikiquote Azərbaycanca Български Català Čeština Dansk Deutsch Ελληνικά Español Euskara فارسی Français Galego 한국어 Հայերեն Hrvatski Bahasa Indonesia Italiano עברית Latviešu Lietuvių Magyar မြန်မာဘာသာ Nederlands 日本 語 Norsk Polski Português Română Русский Scots Simple English کوردی Српски / srpski Srpskohrvatski / српскохрватски Suomi Svenska தமிழ் Türkçe Українська Tiếng Việt 粵語 中文 34 more Edit links This page was last edited on 31 May 2018, at 17 : 48. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution - ShareAlike License ; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia ® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization. About Wikipedia

Question: who played william seward in the movie lincoln
Answer: David Strathairn