Gore Vidal's Lincoln
by Lamont Johnson
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Deborah Adair, Mary Tyler Moore, Richard Mulligan, Sam Waterston, Tom Brennan (II)Director: Lamont Johnson
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Original Language)
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, NTSC
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 188 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2004-07-06
Audience Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Platinum Disc
Movie Reviews of Gore Vidal's Lincoln
Movie Review: a very human Lincoln who is principled yet a master manipulator
Summary: 4 Stars
Waterston does a great job portraying Lincoln not as an Icon, but as a human being. It is the best portrayal I have ever seen of Lincoln on the screen and quite faithful to the original novel by Gore Vidal. You feel Lincoln's sense of purpose, his ability to read people and manipulate them in accordance with it, and his emotional life. It is subtle, at times shocking, but always engaging.
The viewer also gets a good glance at the major events of the Civil War in outline, in just about enough detail for the casual viewer: the suspension of Habeas Corpus in Maryland, the stodgy Union Generals, the important battles, the human toll. It is all bound with Lincoln's political purpose, to save the Union at any cost, and stimulates the appetite for more. It covers Lincoln's difficult relationship with the notorious popinjay McClellan, the deterioration of Mary Todd Lincoln (I did not like Mary Tyler Moore much in the role), and the tensions within the cabinet. The gravelly Ulysses Grant is also excellent.
That being said, it was impossible to get all the nuance of Vidal's novel (his finest by far) into 3 hours. You get allusions to the themes, but cannot experience such things as the deep conversion of Seward from a scornful enemy to devoted friend, the love of John Hay for the exploited Kate Chase, or Linclon's shrewd maneuverings around the power-hungry Salmon P. Chase. If you liked the film, you should definitely read the book. Finally, for Civil War buffs, there really isn't enough detail to satisfy the most sophisticated appetite, however successful this is as entertainment.
Recommended. This is a great introduction to a fascinating cast of characters in America's most decisive conflict.
Summary of Gore Vidal's Lincoln
Studio: Platinum Disc Llc Release Date: 02/28/2006 Run time: 188 minutesDrama DVD Video
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