Gore Vidal's Lincoln
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Movie Reviews of Gore Vidal's Lincoln
Movie Review: Best Civil War movie
Summary: 5 Stars
This is, to my thinking, the best Civil War movie ever and a more accurate portrait of Lincoln than films have shown. Sam Watterson is dead on with the Lincoln of Gore Vidal's fine novel, and Mary Tyler Moore's Mrs. Lincoln is perfect. I was amazed that this sitcom actress could be this good. She deserved an academy award.
My only quibble is when snippets of battle were shown. The movie would have been better without them. Re-enactors were used, and re-enactors are always too old, too fat, too clean, and too self-conscious. All one has to do is look at actual photos of Civil War soldiers in the field to prove the point. And the battle scenes were inaccurate in other ways. For example, the Confederates did not fire from behind a wooden fence at Fredericksburg, but from a sunken road and a stone wall. At this same battle in the film we see trees in leaf, whereas the battle was in mid-December, and there was snow on the ground.
That aside, this is a fine piece of work, and even though the viewer knows how it ends, there is the sadness of a great tragedy.
Movie Review: Another look at who Abraham and Mary Lincoln were
Summary: 5 Stars
I have read Gore Vidal's book many years ago and I obtained a copy of the movie by recording the TV series. But because VHS tape is not very permanent...I decided to order the dvd. The movie follows pretty close to the book. Sam Waterston is an excellent Lincoln. I have seen my fair share of Lincolns over the years with the only other one I like and that Henry Fonda in his portrayal of "Young Mr. Lincoln". The movie moves along with great characters portraying such people as Seward, Chase, Gen. Winfield Scott (John Houseman was an excellent choice). And of course Mary Tyler Moore as Mary Lincoln. All in all, I have certain videos or movies that I can watch over and over again once a month or so. I heard a interview of Sam Waterston regarding his portrayal of Lincoln and that he had to work at that "Western" accent as well as the high-pitched voice that describes Lincoln's speaking. I recommend it to anyone.Movie Review: Gore Vidal's LINCOLN
Summary: 5 Stars
Excellent behind the scenes insight on one of the most eventful presidencies in American History. The novel on which the DVD is based is, of course, more complete, but the DVD condensation does a great of presenting Vidal's narrative, however, it helps to have read the novel first, or to be a student of the Civil War period to get the full value of the video. Abraham Lincoln has been turned into a perfect marble statue in the minds of school children. Vidal presents him as the wily and skillful politician that he was and exposes some of the myths that have grown up about him. Lincoln was a politician who was changed by the circumstances by which he was surrounded and literally grew into the role into which he was thrust. I do not recommend this DVD for younger children, and some of the terms and content would have to be carefully explained to high school students.
Movie Review: A True Lincoln Portrait
Summary: 5 Stars
Gore Vidal presents the noble yet tragic figure of Abraham Lincoln in a very accurate fashion. Being a professor of history, I appreciate the realism in Vidal's presentation of both the people and events in the story. The struggles Lincoln faced as a politician, president, husband and father are well-developed by Vidal through his dramatic writing. The viewer comes to feel a sense of identity with Lincoln, who is portrayed not only as a great man in history, but also as a man much like you and I might associate with in our everyday lives. While staying fairly true to the historic Lincoln and events of the time, the film's dramatic presentation keep the interests of the viewer who might not necessarily be a history buff. The high quality of Vidal's work actually encourages the viewer to take a further look into other historic representations on film, from which there are many to choose.Movie Review: Not a bad t,v, movie
Summary: 5 Stars
This was a T.v. movie in the late 1980's, long before Sam Waterston went into Law and Order. I love his Lincoln. He brings a quiet calm to the president, that I sure he needed while running the country and his wife.
And not enough can be said of Mary Tyler Moore's Mary Todd Lincoln. She played Mrs. Lincoln very close to the edge, which is what the first lady was for a long time. You can almost see the strain in both of thier faces and both of the Lincolns are push in seven diffent ways.
Lincoln has always been my favorit read in history, and this is my favorite movie dealing with the man and his times.