Spielberg's Lincoln Trailer! — Page 3

Because the trailer isn't the movie, growl.

As much as some people confuse the two.

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I wonder how the film will be received internationally, where people will presumably base it on merit alone and not have all the patriotic baggage.

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"And Kushner's involvement is encouraging, but let's not forget that Spielberg got no less than Tom Stoppard to write the abominable script for EMPIRE OF THE SUN, the film that turns J.G. Ballard's astonishing novel about the horror of war into a sanitized story about a boy who wants his mommy. "

I always wondered how much of that was due to Spielberg? I mean, I know when he took over the movie, he basically said that that's exactly how he saw the story (no surprise, knowing Spielberg). I know Stoppard did the pre Spielberg script, and then Spielberg got his Color Purple screenwriter to re-do it, though I think Stoppard got final credit (and may have collaborated or did the final draft of *that* script, so he's hardly not responsible).

He's the main reason I plan on seeing it (I did like his work on Munich--I know he's only listed as co-writer so not sure what was his, and what wasn't, but--and only felt Spielberg "got in the way" in a few instances).

Since being in Canada, where we grow up with the major US networks, or PBS where they'd have American history mentioned on kids shows, so it's hard to say from my POV, but I would agree, Strummer. The basics about Lincoln--the Emancipation Proclamation, the assassination in the theatre--are pretty standard knowledge. I'd say Lincoln and JFK are probably the most well known presidents--with Washington third, out of the less recent ones. FDR is probably somewhere next. (I think, in elementary school anyway, a lot of kids thought Franklin was a president too, so...)

A great movie diluted, in true Spielberg fashion, by some glaring missteps. One is his and Kushner's blind eye to black people as a political force in the passage of the 13th Amendment (where is Frederic Douglass?) and in life in Washington in 1865 (as recently addressed by Kate Masur in The Times). And then there is the schmaltz, which is commendably absent throughout most of the movie and then makes its odious presence known. Masur makes a compelling argument that Slade, Keckley and Smith were far more interesting characters with respect to emancipation and political will and its limits (the themes of the movie, otherwise brilliantly conveyed) than just the doting, kind servants they are, ironically, made out to be. And the semiotics of the scene between Stevens and Smith are troubling when considered in light of Masur's account of whom these people actually were.

But, apart from that Mrs. Lincoln, it's still a great movie. And I would have absolutely no problem with Day-Lewis and Field getting their third oscars (a record three best leading actor gold for Day-Lewis seems not unlikely).

Updated On: 11/14/12 at 10:44 AM

I adored this movie. And it had one of the truly great last lines in film history.

And then it didn't end for another five minutes.

That would have been a much better ending. Provided of course that Spielberg would have stopped himself from having Slade look presciently on as Lincoln exited, which was ridiculous.

Still, the movie is otherwise so consistently well written, acted, directed and designed that I want to overlook the few bad - ok very bad - things.

I don't think the film's failings are "very bad". Yes, there is some schmaltz liberally used, I found the exposition heavy-handed, and the passivity of African-Americans is indeed a problem not only in this work but a lot of media. I found the film was greater than the sum of its parts, and easily one of the best of the year thus far- and possibly one of the best films of this nature ever.

It's also nice to see appearances from several primarily stage actors: Colman Domingo, Byron Jennings, Stephen Spinella, Adam Driver.

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IMDB also lists Kevin Kline in a cameo role as a wounded soldier. I did not spot him.

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I love the epilouge of AI. And that was Kubrik's idea wasn't it?

Erik, I don't honestly know how Kubrick wanted it to end. But the way it was directed, it just felt like too many endings--to me (it's been a while since I watched it). So it wasn't so much that I objected to the aliens, though I would have ended it with him stuck at the bottom of the sea or whatever, but that, as directed, it felt like they just kept adding a scene.

No, "Now he belongs to the ages" is indeed spoken by Stanton at the deathbed.

Very minor quibbles from me (the streets of Washington were so clean! Where was the MUD? And I think the hospital scene, even though graphic to an extent, was also a bit sanitized.)

I always wanted someone to make Keckley's life story into a film.

But, this film is a truly remarkable feat. Oscar sweep for Picture, Spielberg, Day-Lewis, Field, Jones and certainly for Kushner. Spielberg and John Willimas were smart to pull back on the manipulation they usually engage, given this story it would have been easy to go over the top: the freed slaves running to the roads, the swelling of the anthem when Lee rides away...thankfully, the hand of discretion was heavier than the hand of schmaltz.

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