A time in history well worth recalling and remembering

Rating: 7/10 (10 March 2013)

Here is a time in history that's well worth recalling and remembering. Steven Spielberg's Lincoln focuses on the final months of the great president's life, when he worked with rivals and supporters in government to pass the 13th constitutional amendment -- that's the one that emancipates the slaves. It's a handsome well-mounted production, with the drab look reflective of the period. Once again, Spielberg extracts superb performances from his mostly celebrated cast. Daniel Day-Lewis portrays the beleaguered president as a dignified and at the same time, very human, figure. However, my favorite character was Tad Lincoln played by the young Gulliver McGrath; amid all the (necessary) conniving and manipulation taking place in the capital city, he comes across as so innocent and carefree... until the tragic moment at the end. See this movie as a lesson on how clever political maneuvering by the wily president enabled the successful passage of a controversial bill.