Lincoln (film)

The film focuses on Lincoln's efforts in January 1865 to abolish slavery and involuntary servitude by having the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution passed by the United States House of Representatives.


The film was produced by Spielberg and frequent collaborator Kathleen Kennedy, through their respective production companies, Amblin Entertainment and the Kennedy/Marshall Company. Filming began October 17, 2011,^[9] and ended on December 19, 2011.^[10] Lincoln premiered on October 8, 2012, at the New York Film Festival. The film was co-produced by American companies DreamWorks Pictures, 20th Century Fox and Participant Media, along with Indian company Reliance Entertainment, and distributed theatrically by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures through the Touchstone Pictures label in the United States and Canada on November 16, 2012, and by 20th Century Fox in international territories.^{[11][12][13][2]}


Lincoln was acclaimed by critics, who lauded its acting (especially Day-Lewis's), Spielberg's direction, and its production values. In December 2012, it was nominated for seven Golden Globe Awards, including Best Motion Picture – Drama, Best Director for Spielberg, and winning Best Actor (Motion Picture – Drama) for Day-Lewis. At the 85th Academy Awards, it was nominated for twelve Academy Awards including Best Picture and Best Director; it won for Best Production Design and Best Actor for Day-Lewis, his third in the category.^[14] It was also a commercial success, grossing over $275 million at the box office.^[7] It has since been cited as one of the best films of Spielberg's career and one of the greatest films of the 21st century.^[15][16]

Plot[edit]

In January 1865, President Abraham Lincoln expects the Civil War to end soon, with the defeat of the Confederate States. He is concerned that his 1863 Emancipation Proclamation may be discarded by the courts after the war and that the proposed Thirteenth Amendment will be defeated by the returning slave states. He feels it imperative to pass the amendment beforehand, to foreclose any possibility that freed slaves might be re-enslaved.


The Radical Republicans fear the amendment will be defeated by some who wish to delay its passage; support from Republicans in the states is not yet assured. The amendment also requires the support of several Democratic congressmen to pass. With dozens of Democrats being lame ducks after losing their re-election campaigns in 1864, some of Lincoln's advisors believe he should wait for a new Republican-heavy Congress. Lincoln remains adamant about having the amendment in place before the war is concluded and the southern states are re-admitted.


Lincoln's hopes rely upon Francis Preston Blair, a founder of the Republican Party whose influence could win over members of the state conservative faction. With two sons serving in the Union Army, Blair is keen to end hostilities before the spring thaw arrives and the armies march again. Therefore, in return for his support, Blair insists that Lincoln allow him to engage the Confederate government in peace negotiations. However, Lincoln knows that significant support for the amendment comes from Radical Republicans, for whom negotiated peace is unacceptable. Unable to proceed without Blair's support, Lincoln reluctantly authorizes his mission.


In the meantime, Lincoln and Secretary of State William Seward work to secure Democratic votes for the amendment. Lincoln suggests they concentrate on the lame-duck Democrats, as they will feel freer to vote as they choose and soon need employment; Lincoln will have many federal jobs to fill as he begins his second term. Despite being unwilling to offer monetary bribes to the Democrats, Lincoln and Seward authorize agents to contact Democratic congressmen with offers of federal jobs in exchange for their support. Meanwhile, Lincoln's son, Robert, returns from law school and announces his intention to discontinue his studies and enlist in the Union Army, hoping to earn a measure of honor and respect outside of his father's shadow. Lincoln reluctantly secures an officer's commission for Robert. Mary Todd Lincoln, the First Lady, is aghast, fearing that he will be killed. She furiously presses her husband to pass the amendment and end the war, promising woe upon him if he should fail.


At a critical moment in the debate in the House of Representatives, racial-equality advocate Thaddeus Stevens agrees to moderate his position and argue that the amendment represents only legal equality, not a declaration of actual equality. Meanwhile, Confederate envoys are ready to meet with Lincoln to discuss terms for peace, but he instructs they be kept out of Washington as the amendment approaches a vote on the House floor. Rumor of their mission circulates, prompting both Democrats and conservative Republicans to advocate postponing the vote. In a carefully worded statement, Lincoln denies there are envoys in Washington, and the vote proceeds, passing by a margin of just two votes. Black visitors to the gallery celebrate, and Stevens returns home to his "housekeeper" and lover, a biracial woman.


When Lincoln meets with the Confederates, he tells them slavery cannot be restored, as the North is united for ratification of the amendment, and several of the southern states' reconstructed legislatures would also vote to ratify. As a result, the peace negotiations fail, and the war continues. On April 3, Lincoln visits the battlefield at Petersburg, Virginia and speaks with Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant. On April 9, Grant receives General Robert E. Lee's surrender at Appomattox Courthouse. On April 14, a cheerful Lincoln meets members of his cabinet to discuss future measures to enfranchise blacks, before leaving for Ford's Theatre. That night, while Lincoln's son Tad is watching Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp at Grover's Theatre, the manager stops the play to announce that the President has been shot. The next morning, at the Petersen House, Lincoln dies with a peaceful expression across his face; in a flashback, Lincoln finishes intoning his second inaugural address on March 4 with the words, "With malice toward none, with charity for all".

Release[edit]

Lincoln premiered at the New York Film Festival on October 8, 2012.^[59] It was also screened at the 2012 AFI Film Festival on November 8, 2012.^[60] Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures distributed the film in North America through the Touchstone Pictures banner, while 20th Century Fox distributed it internationally.^[2] For its international release, 20th Century Fox added a minute-long introduction with photographs to provide historical context and reference for audiences unfamiliar with the American Civil War.^[61] For the film's release in Japan, the film was screened with a preamble introduction featuring Spielberg.


Disney Publishing Worldwide released several companion books and ancillary literature in anticipation of the film, including Lincoln: A Cinematic and Historical Companion and Lincoln: A Spielberg Film – Discover the Story.^[62] DreamWorks and Google Play released the film's trailer during a Google+ hangout with Spielberg and Joseph Gordon-Levitt on September 13, 2012.^[63] A teaser trailer was released on September 10, 2012.^[64]


Lincoln was released by Buena Vista Home Entertainment on Blu-ray, DVD, and digital download in North America on March 26, 2013. Both of the Blu-ray releases included featurettes to accompany this film titled The Journey to Lincoln and A Historic Tapestry: Richmond, Virginia, which discussed the filming of Lincoln by Spielberg in Richmond.^[65] It debuted at No. 1 in Blu-ray and DVD sales in its first week.^[66] Disney Educational Productions donated DVDs and a teaching guide, Stand Tall: Live Like Lincoln, to more than 37,100 secondary schools in the United States, after Spielberg received letters from educators who wished to incorporate the film into their curriculum.^[67][68][69]