Afouotos
Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.
Chirphymium
It's entirely possible that sending the audience out feeling lousy was intentional
Erica Derrick
By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.
thinker1691
The name of D.W.Griffith dates back to the silent era. To date, all his films possessed definite trademarks, such as grandeur, spectacle and adherence to entertainment. This early Black and White film called " Abraham Lincoln " was created back in 1930. For the true movie fan, the hissing background noise, poor soundtrack and uneven movie cuts are to be accepted as original efforts. The film does take literary license with the story of Abraham Lincoln (Walter Huston) and features his life story in several segments beginning with his birth in the now famous log Cabin, story teller, sparking Ann Rutledge, rail splitting, practicing law, to the spirited debate with Steven Douglas and commander of the Union forces during the civil war. Through all, the director creates a majestic film tapestry of the 16th president of the U. S. and a movie Classic in it's own right. ****
Steffi_P
It is sometimes presumed that, because DW Griffith retired from the business in 1931 after making just two sound pictures, it was the talkies that killed off the legendary pioneer of cinema. However, this great man's downfall was in truth more gradual, and he had been plagued by bad reviews and pushed around by the studios since the early 1920s. What is more, his biopic of another great man proves that even at this late stage Griffith had the capacity to create something exceptional.Griffith's film of Abraham Lincoln reverses the romantic notion that the directors of the early years, no matter how wondrous their silent pictures were, could not handle the transition to talkies. Not only has Griffith adapted to the new medium without any loss in the grace or dignity of his images, it is clear he really understands what sound can do. The opening scene, ironically now missing its sound reel, according to the subtitle reconstruction featured a stirring use of song, with the refrain "Go down Moses" accompanying the shot of dead slaves being thrown overboard. Later, a scene opens on a close-up of a peg being hammered in, while offscreen we hear Una Merkel reciting from a book of law. We then pull out to reveal what is going on, but Griffith has already cleverly linked the two topics of the scene – work and law – from the first shot in a way that grabs and engages us.There are plenty of other examples of Griffith's still-thriving mastery of technique on display in Abraham Lincoln for the dedicated viewer to spot, but what of the director's Victorian sensibilities when it came to narrative and characterisation, which sometimes seemed outdated even in the 1910s? Well, even though the picture was written by a couple of youngsters (an odd but fruitful pairing of producer John Considine and poet Stephen Vincent Benet), the imagery does occasionally betray Griffith's old-fashioned outlook. In the final shot, he appears to literally be attempting to deify the deceased president. And yet Griffith's respectful treatment of his subject is often subtle and tenderly meaningful. In scenes shortly after Lincoln's inauguration, Griffith photographs him once in silhouette, and later introduces him with his shadow appearing in a doorway. The outline of a tall man in stovepipe hat and jutting beard is instantly recognisable. When he does this, Griffith is not trying to be arty, he is acknowledging that Lincoln has now become the iconic figure that has become lodged in the consciousness of future generations.And there is another side to this laudatory biopic. Considine and Benet's screenplay may be short for such a grand subject, but it condenses the life of the president in such a way as to bring out the humanity of the man, giving just as much weight to his loves and personal demons as to his political achievements. A lot of the credit here should also go to lead man Walter Huston, one of the greatest assets to be snapped up by the film industry with the coming of sound. Huston not only physically resembles Lincoln, but he is the right kind of performer for such a weighty role. He can act the inspirational orator, but also displays a very likable naturalism in the scenes of Lincoln's private life. Huston actually adds depth to the character, portraying the young Abraham as a resourceful but slightly awkward individual. He comes across as acutely self-conscious of his height, and is constantly stooping so as not appear imposing towards others. Huston gives the older Lincoln world-weariness, and above all a calm yet commanding presence, that of a man trying to change the world by gently changing the things around him.Huston was a newcomer to cinema, hired by the industry after the coming of sound, as was Una Merkel who is also outstanding in her small but memorable performance as Ann Rutledge. By and large though the rest of the cast were veterans of the silent era, many of whom have here more interest value than displays of talent, including Lucille LaVerne, who later voiced the wicked queen in Disney's Snow White, Frank Campeau, one of the eponymous 3 Bad Men from the 1926 picture, and former director Oscar Apfel. At times the picture almost looks like a museum of Griffith's heyday, especially when Hobart Bosworth and Henry B. Walthall turn up at the end as Confederate officers. And yet Bosworth and Walthall are no waxworks, the former in giving a very moving turn as the defeated Lee. Like Griffith himself, these people may have been getting old, but they were by no means done for.
Michael_Elliott
Abraham Lincoln (1930) ** 1/2 (out of 4) D.W. Griffith's film about Abraham Lincoln (Walter Huston) who we see from his early days through the hearbreak of Ann Rutledge (Una Merkel) and his rise to be the President of the United States.It's surprising to watch ABRAHAM LINCOLN today and know that back in the day most of the major critics called it a great film with many of them including it as one of the year's best films. It was hailed by critics as Griffith's major comeback but it didn't result in box office numbers and the legendary director would only make one more film. It's interesting to note that some of the Lincoln story-line was used in the director's THE BIRTH OF A NATION and that film was re-released in a sound version the same year this here was released. You have to wonder if more people went to that over this new film.The biggest problem that I had with this film was the story itself and the way it was told. I'm not going to bash the fake parts of the story too much as these bio films are often full of re-written history. The problem with me is that the narrative was all over the place and there really wasn't a good flow to any of it. It seems like bits and pieces were just picked from the story, filmed and then thrown together without Griffith trying to make a complete story or any type of flow to the material.It's really too bad that the story is all over the place because we do get some nice performances including Huston in the lead role. It's funny and rather uncanny how much he looks like Lincoln here and for the most part I thought he did a respectable job in the role. Another problem with the film is the fact that Griffith certainly didn't update his "style" from what you'd see from his early days. He certainly didn't want to go with the times and the film really looks and feel like something from the 1910s and not from 1930.With that said, ABRAHAM LINCOLN does work as a minor film. The performances are good enough to save it and the ending with the assassination is quite good even if it falls well short of what we saw in THE BIRTH OF A NATION.
wes-connors
If one were to commission a film depicting the life of Abraham Lincoln, in 1930, one might well produce this film; and, one would be very satisfied with the resulting "Abraham Lincoln", both artistically, and commercially. Today, however, this is not a very exciting film. It succeeds somewhat as a series of staged vignettes, depicting stories about President Lincoln.Walter Huston is given the difficult job of portraying the revered Lincoln, and he excels, after a shaky start. Director D.W. Griffith employs a fine supporting cast, with mixed results. Early scenes are hampered by the characterizations offered by Una Merkel (as Ann Rutledge) and Kay Hammond (as Mary Todd); these are "the romances" of Lincoln's life; and, they are awful. The courtship scenes involving Mr. Huston and Ms. Merkel are particularly absurd. Henry B. Walthall is notable, later on; but. he doesn't have much to do. It might have been interesting to see Mr. Walthall play John Wilkes Booth -- admittedly, this was an unlikely consideration at the time; and, Ian Keith is perfectly suitable in the role. Walthall graciously supports Hobart Bosworth (as Robert E. Lee) during his screen time; and, Mr. Bosworth is outstanding.There is no mystery in the main story elements: he was born in a log cabin, and is assassinated in the end. Griffith acquaints himself well with "sound" in a film, though, in hindsight, it is a technical weakness. There are moments, or flashes, of "greatness" in the film, but they don't contribute to a collective work of consequence. Griffith treats Lincoln with a reverence that is oddly uncomfortable; by the film's end, the story structure confirms Lincoln has become Divine. The ending reprise of "Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! His truth is marching on..." nicely evokes both "John Brown's Body" and the "Battle Hymn of the Republic." An appropriate connection. ******* Abraham Lincoln (8/25/30) D.W. Griffith ~ Walter Huston, Kay Hammond, Hobart Bosworth
