By Joseph Rossi for Curtains Up
Lincoln
Steven Spielberg’s Lincoln is one of the finest, if not the finest, screen biographies ever put on film. Hollywood’s most famous director’s take on Lincoln’s battle for the 13th amendment and his plan to abolish slavery is his freshest and leanest film in years. Not since his 2005 film Munich, has he made a film where there is not a trace of fat to be found within the lengthy running time. Credit goes to Tony Kushner, who whittles down Doris Kearns Goodwin’s intricate novel, Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln, to focus on a pivotal moment in Lincolns career.
Much has been already said of Daniel Day-Lewis and his portrayal of honest Abe so I’ll just add to the praise. He is Lincoln. From his voice to the bags under his droopy yet wise eyes, Day-Lewis melts into the role. The man makes it seem easy, sliding into the character like a form fitting glove. Much admiration goes to Sally Field as his wife, Mary Todd Lincoln. Like Day Lewis, Field fires on all cylinders, bringing pathos to what could’ve been a thankless supporting role. Great work from Tommy Lee Jones as well as he brings fire into the belly of the rousing, hell raising, republican, Thaddeus Stevens.
This film is like comfort food. It’s filling. It’s substantial. Hearty. It warms me up because it’s a rare film where everything works. The script, the acting, John Williams and his musical genius, the direction, the tech credits; everyone brings their “A” game and it shows in the end result. What could’ve been a dry, historical slog through American history instead is an extremely entertaining and thoughtful film.
Now I have always been a Spielberg fan. No secret there. My favorite film of all time is Jaws. How is a popcorn flick from 1975 my favorite film? Because it is. It just works. To this day people try to copy its formula and they always fail. That’s a testament to the power of The Beard. Even though many consider him a maker of popular entertainment there are many that tend to overlook the talent behind the success. He has always been an expert behind the camera, moving his lens with the creativity and confidence of a master illusionist and composing his shots with the precision of John Ford.
For a film like Lincoln that is basically set within four walls in dimly it rooms, we tend to not notice the expert camera movements that control our focus. But they’re there. For a person who has viewed the film in the theatre twice and another time on home video, the camera moves a great deal in Lincoln, all for wonderfully subtle effects. Michael Kahn’s editing is crisp and fluid, the cuts don’t call attention to themselves, the mark of a master.
Don’t think this is a throwback to your high school history class. If history 101 were this good, I would’ve stayed awake.
