Masterful Filmmaking and a Stellar Cast Capture Lincoln During One Pivotal Month

Rating: 10/10 (26 November 2012)

To say that Daniel Day-Lewis inhabits the title role feels like such a total understatement. The iconic role has been the career-peaking touchstone for dozens of esteemed actors since the dawn of cinema including Henry Fonda, Raymond Massey (who earned an Oscar nomination in 1940 for his Lincoln), Gregory Peck, and even cast member Hal Holbrook (who plays Republican leader Francis Preston Blair here), but none have come across with the deceptively casual verisimilitude of Day-Lewis in Steven Spielberg's masterful 2012 historical drama. The versatile actor is able to bring multiple layers of human dimension to a public figure known to us only through books, marble statues, or perhaps a childhood trip to Disneyland where he remains an animatronic mannequin in "Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln". Spielberg and screenwriter Tony Kushner ("Angels in America") wisely do not attempt an episodic treatment of Lincoln's life but rather focus on January 1865, a critical month at the beginning of the President's second term when he was undergoing the most important event of his life.
Based in part on Doris Kearns Goodwin's superb treatise, "Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln", the 150-minute film focuses on the conundrum he faced in pushing the 13th amendment, the abolition of slavery, through the House of Representatives toward legislation while facing immense pressure among all factions to end the now-four-year-old Civil War and reclaim the Confederacy into the Union. The movie's deliberately narrow focus allows us to see Lincoln as a relatable human being, someone with a determined sense of mission but also less than ideal with a surprising albeit understandable streak of opportunism that a broader biopic would have glossed over. It also means the story consists of subtle moments rather than milestone events that would signal the next historical battle. Although Spielberg bookends the film with unblinking scenes of carnage true to the period, the film relies primarily on the human drama that comes from the argument of opposing ideas and the minutiae of political strategy used to win favor among influential politicos
It's a story that has obvious relevance to the Washington political scene of today. The movie also examines the additional burden Lincoln was experiencing with his fractious home life. He struggles to keep the peace with his tempestuous wife Mary still grieving over the death of their third son Willie three years earlier, as well as their first-born Robert who becomes desperate to enlist in the Union Army against his parents' wishes. Kushner's superbly understated screenplay lets the plot lines intertwine organically and keeps Spielberg's tendency toward bravura filmmaking in check. Only toward the end when we recognize what is about to happen to Lincoln did I feel Spielberg's use of unspoken prescience a bit too heightened. The performances are stunning examples of what great filmmaking can generate with the right cast. Day-Lewis' Lincoln is for the ages. It amazes me that Liam Neeson was attached to the project for six years before generously abandoning it because Day- Lewis appears born to play the role. With a choked Midwestern tenor, he vividly evokes a man gifted at conflict resolution and oratory splendor but not above manipulating information to achieve the greater good.
Two other performances are nearly as stellar. Tommy Lee Jones hones in on his particular brand of irascibility to bring fiery abolitionist Thaddeus Stevens to life, and Kushner gives him the lion's share of clever vitriol in the script. As Mary, Sally Field is a constant presence but has probably about three showy scenes where she is able to show her considerable talent to the full. Nearly a half-century since Gidget and more than a decade older than Day-Lewis, this diminutive actress gained 25 pounds and defies the odds by immersing herself completely into all the conflicting impulses that made Mary such a complicated, controversial historical figure. There are five Oscars among this accomplished trio, and more could very well be forthcoming. Many other actors in the expansive cast are worthy of mention, including James Spader's surprisingly amusing turn as a Republican lobbyist, Hal Holbrook's avuncular bluster as Blair, Gloria Reuben's quiet fortitude as Mary's confidant Elizabeth Keckley, and David Straitharn providing a jittery voice of reason as Secretary of State William Seward. A few actors like the omnipresent Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Robert are not given enough time to flesh out their characters. Regardless, it's a masterful film that captures lightning in a bottle.