D.W. GriffithAbraham Lincoln (1930)

A biography of the beloved United States president by D. W. Griffith.

You can find more information regarding this film on its IMDb page.

This item is part of the collection: Feature Films

Director: D.W. Griffith
Producer: D.W. Griffith
Production Company: Feature Productions
Audio/Visual: sound, b&w

Creative Commons license: Public Domain

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Reviewer: Telephone Toughguy - - April 9, 2007
Subject: Did not watch the movie

Becuase he was a republican that ruined all those nice southern farmer's lives.

Reviewer: Spuzz - - April 23, 2006
Subject: Medveds be damned!

Forever damned as one of the 50 Worst Movies of All Time by those well respected critics (sarcasm) The Medved brothers, Abraham Lincoln is by all means not the worst movie Ive ever seen, heck, I really wouldnt call it bad, it just a bit slow and has some hooty moments, but otherwise might serve as a nice early representation of a president on Film.
Walter Huston, brilliant actor as he is, I dont think quite pulls off the role here. His Lincoln is awfully stiff, goes dreamy eyed when making Some Significant Statement. Actually, all the acting is quite stiff here, I guess being the time, they were still doing Silent Movie Acting and not quite getting the rythym down yet for sound films. Least person to know this is the actress playing Mrs Lincoln, who always jumping around, acting acting acting.
As for the story, Im not American, so I cant really judge of whats true or not, but it does make coherent sense, So I have no complaints about this really.

Reviewer: Therby - - January 15, 2006
Subject: An Interesting Look at Abe Lincoln

It may be a more interesting look at how the makers of this film portrayed these times and personalities. The black face and the emphasis on the reason for the war was probably to make sure it could make money in southern states.(just a guess)

Reviewer: Robert B. Livingston - - March 30, 2005
Subject: Interesting Document of Civil War Iconography and Early Cinema

This is an interesting film for many reasons.

A few thoughts:

Only one negro appears in the film (who appears to actually be a white man in blackface)-- and he is a butt of ridicule.

The confederate flag in the movie is historically questionable.

John Wilkes Booth's speech at Ford's theater is included, while Lincoln's Gettysburg Address is completely absent from this film.

Hobart Bosworth delivers the most realistic performance as Robert E. Lee (although lacking a convincing Southern accent). (Many of the Illinois residents seem to have Southern accents.)

The film was adapted for the screen by none other than Stephen Vincent Benet.

Walter Huston's performance of Lincoln's character is ponderous and wooden, and his didactic refrain: "For we must preserve the Union!" gets to be quite tiring, if not amusing to a modern viewer who might be expecting a "punch line".

Perhaps most interesting is that this movie is very similar to many modern movies which tend to dumb down history, toss in a gratuitous romance, and replace nuanced arguments with homilies.

This movie if remade today (by the formulaic requirements of Hollywood marketing) would likely be little different than as it was first produced here by D.W. Griffith.

Nevertheless, a truly moving and nuanced film about Lincoln, his conflicts and his complex personality would be a film that (even today) screams out to be made.

Reviewer: 1mile2go - - May 7, 2004
Subject: Abe Lincoln

A good film, for the time. The mpeg-1 is a fine file. It is an intersting look at his life. I found the model of the Lincoln Memorial to be an accurate idea of what it would look like before it was built. This is a must see, If you are interested in the life of Lincoln. Although it ends with his assisnation at Fords Theater with Booth Jumping down to the stage, then fades to his log cabin and the credits, no follow up.

Reviewer: Buck Hummer - - May 6, 2004
Subject: Saint Abe Lincoln - one generation removed

The film, actually presents more like a film of a stage play, makes one consider the pacing of viewers in the 1930s, be prepared to be p a t i e n t, no really p a t i e n t. Remember many viewers would have been children during the reconstruction and is poignant to see how reverently the president was remembered.

Reviewer: The Holmes - - May 3, 2004
Subject: Classic Griffith

This is a historically important film simply for the fact that it is the first sound film directed by D.W. Griffith. You can definately tell that the actors were not used to having to speak thier lines, as the acting is rigid and may seem boring. However, the style of the directing and cinematography is pure Griffith.

Credits

Walter Huston .... Abraham Lincoln
Una Merkel .... Ann Rutledge
William L. Thorne .... Tom Lincoln (as W.L. Thorne)
Lucille La Verne .... Midwife
Helen Freeman .... Nancy Hanks Lincoln
Otto Hoffman .... Offut
Edgar Dearing .... Armstrong (as Edgar Deering)
Russell Simpson .... Lincoln's employer
Charles Crockett .... Sheriff
Kay Hammond .... Mary Todd Lincoln
Helen Ware .... Mrs. Edwards
E. Allyn Warren .... Stephen A. Douglas (as E. Alyn Warren)
Jason Robards Sr. .... Herndon (as Jason Robards)
Gordon Thorpe .... Tad Lincoln
Ian Keith .... John Wilkes Booth