Henry fondas great stamp on the lincoln character, directed by john ford and featuring ten years in the presidents life. Lincoln achieved something unique in historical filmmaking. Lincoln 1939 unrated 1h 40m historical dramas illinois lawyer abraham lincoln henry fonda becomes known for his honesty and solves a murder with a courtroom trick. Lincoln 1939, the grapes of wrath 1940, my darling clementine 1946, and she wore a yellow ribbon 1949.
National catholic register henry fondas bestknown performance as a legendary historical character in a john ford film is, of course, as wyatt earp in my darling clementine. Lincoln, directed by john ford and starring henry fonda. Ten years in the life of abraham lincoln, before he became known to his nation and the world. Henry fonda as a young man had much sharper dimension in facial feature, as also recognized in the grapes of wrath. John ford directed and henry fonda stars in the movie. This film, their first together, was fords equally poetic and significant followup to the groundbreaking western stagecoach, and in it fonda gives one of the finest. This film shows abraham lincoln henry fonda as he rises from a young boy born in a log cabin to a lawyer in springfield, il. Henry fonda describes working with john ford and playing abraham lincoln. Howard hawks, a master of genres and the architect of a tough, functional american style of narrative exemplified in.
Gallery of 16 movie poster and cover images for young mr. After seeing lincoln i remembered this movie which id seen ages ago and was thrilled that i could download it. Following her tragic death, lincoln establishes a law practice in springfield, where he meets a young mary todd. Lincoln is a 1939 american biographical drama film about the early life of president abraham lincoln, directed by john ford and starring henry fonda. A fictionalized account of the early life of the american president as a young lawyer facing his greatest court case. Lincoln 1939 david csontos, on september 16th, 20 at 6. Lincoln is a heavily fictionalized account of lincolns life this would be a huge deal in 2015, nobody cared in 1939. Lincoln ford had made films that were richer and more effective, eisenstein wrote. A oncemust, for its place in cinema history and for fondas performance. Henry fonda western movies full length free jesse james 1939 part. He defends two men accused of murder in a political brawl, suffers the death of his girlfriend ann, courts his future wife mary todd, and agrees to go into politics.
I recall years ago fonda telling that as a young actor he was understandably nervous about playing abraham lincoln and scared he wouldnt live up to the challenge. The movie deals with lincolns early years in illinois as a lawyer. Lincoln 1939 starring henry fonda and alice brady on dvd and bluray. Lincoln is transformed from a slackjawed looselimbed young everyman into well, into abe lincoln. Lincoln with exclusive news, pictures, videos and more at. Few american historical figures are as revered as abraham lincoln. Lincoln apr 15, 20 what ford and spielberg have discovered is that you can take any slice of lincolns life and put together a very entertaining film. Nevertheless, the performance of henry fonda and the assured, fully engaged direction of john ford placed young mr. Lincoln, released in 1939 and now on bluray in a new 4k digital restoration from criterion, is a prime example of american mythmaking. Lincoln marks the first film of the directorstar collaboration of john ford and henry fonda. He moves from a kentucky cabin to springfield, illinois, to begin his. The film follows lincolns career as a shopkeeper and aspiring politician, his decision to study law, and his move to springfield, illinois to go into law practice.
Zanuck, received an academy award nomination for best original screenplay. Im willing to bet that most moviegoers even cinefiles havent seen the film, and id wager that few have ever even heard. Zanuck fought for control of the film, to the point where ford destroyed unwanted takes for fear the studio would use them in the film. Ford, the great soviet movie maker sergei eisenstein whose 1925 silent film battleship potemkin remains embedded in most critics short lists of the best movies ever made speculated on the one american movie he wished he had made he chose john fords young mr.
This film, their first together, was fords equally poetic and significant followup to the groundbreaking western stagecoach, and in it fonda gives one of the finest performances of his career, as. Henry fondas great stamp on the lincoln character, directed by john ford and featuring ten years. Lincoln a 1939 classic directed by john ford has some violence, centered around a murder, as well as some talk of hanging, some arguing and threats, and images of an angry mob. The story of abraham lincoln that has never been told a fictionalized account of the early life of the american president as a young lawyer facing his greatest court case. Its typically ford in that it celebrates good old fashioned decency and the civilizing effect knowledge and education has on the frontier life, but it pushes just over the edge and gets too bogged down. Yet fonda was more aptly cast, and gives a more vivid performance, five years earlier in their lesserknown first collaboration, young mr. Lincoln apr 15, 20 what ford and spielberg have discovered is that you can take any slice of lincoln s life and put together a very entertaining film. Lincoln 1939 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. Daniel daylewis portrayal of americas 16th president will be compared to that of henry fonda in the 1939 classic young mr. Lincoln 1939 tt0032155 in this dramatized account of his early law career in illinois, abraham lincoln is born into a modest log cabin, where he is encouraged by his first love, ann rutledge, to pursue law.
Now available on dvd from the criterion collection is fords intimate valentine to the great emancipator, young mr. Meet the cast and learn more about the stars of young mr. Lincoln, 1939, directed by john ford, with henry fonda, alice brady, marjorie weaver, at turner classic movies. A fictionalized account of the early life of abraham lincoln. John fords fine direction distinguishes this highly fictionalized account of the early life of abraham lincoln. Lincoln 1939 took such outrageous liberties with historical fact that its value as a portrait of the nations sixteenth president remains questionable. Lincoln goes to hollywood and looks like henry fonda. Lincoln is a 1939 movie about the early years of abraham lincoln. This film, their first together, was fords equally poetic and significant. Starring henry fonda as the titular character, fords film is less biography than hagiography, structured around a story loosely based on. Lincoln practically kisses the ground where abe walked. Lincoln as the first of his films to get the luxe treatment it typically provides. Lincoln 1939, a fine slice of americana that is best served with some of moms apple pie.
Lincoln is a 1939 film that is a fictionalized account of the early life of the american president as a young lawyer facing his greatest court case. Lincoln new york film fest screening turns oscar race. The film shows lincoln henry fonda as he rises from a country boy born in a log cabin to a lawyer in springfield, illinois defending two young men unjustly accused of murder. This was one of the early movies that turned henry fonda in to a major movie star.
The movie won the academy award for best writingoriginal story. With henry fonda, alice brady, marjorie weaver, arleen whelan. The film follows lincoln during his early years in. In this biography of abraham lincoln, the president is wonderfully portrayed by henry fonda. Lincoln s selfconscious historical discourse by first examining the lincoln tradition in classical hollywood cinema best exemplified in 1939 by lincoln in the white house and abe lincoln in illinois, and. Indeed, subsequent readings have denied or dismissed the films historical nature.
David, scott and trevor sift right from wrong, by jing, as they discuss this classic slice of americana from 1939. Even henry fonda, drafted to play the title role, was reluctant till ford testily explained, this isnt the great emancipator, for god. Lincoln is a 1939 american biographical drama film about the early life of president abraham lincoln, directed by john ford and starring henry. Henry fonda as a young man had much sharper dimension in facial feature, as also recognized in the. Because the images of this film combine the iconic with the looseness of the everyday, as young mr. Lincoln is a 1939 film directed by john ford and starring henry fonda it dramatizes the early adulthood of, you guessed it, abraham lincoln, a period extending from roughly 1832 to 1837. He moves from a kentucky cabin to springfield, illinois, to begin his law practice. Considering the legacy of films left by the great john ford the man who shot liberty valance, the searchers, the grapes of wrath, its a little strange that criterion chose young mr.
A fictionalized account of the early life of the american president as a. Lincolnthe first cardinal masterpiece of director john fords career, and the finest film of that epochal hollywood year 1939been neglected because people fear its a stodgy history lesson. Few american historical figures are as revered as abraham lincoln, and few directorstar collaborations embody classic hollywood cinema as beautifully as the one between john ford and henry fonda. Rather than a bloated, boring biopic, this one shows the future american president only as a young man, trying to find his way in life, and henry fonda portrays lincoln as a.