Young Mr. Lincoln (1939)
This is a classic with a legendary director (John Ford) and lead actor (Henry Fonda) and even more legendary main character (Abe Lincoln). But make no mistake, this is narratively slow. It admires and over simplifies the man. And it has one main event that turns into a courtroom trial filled with caricatures and clichés. In short, this is a movie whose audience has disappeared.
Yes it's well made, and to Ford we can still admired a smart director. Fonda is likable, but isn't especially convincing as a Lincoln kind of young man. There are lots of extended scenes (beyond the courtroom drama itself), such as a dance with its revelry. If you want to feel transported to the late 1850s you might find these parts of the movie work well, but for me even this basic movie trait is thin and not totally enjoyable.
And it's history. There will be no surprise. He doesn't die of typhoid, survive a duel, discover some new medicine, fall in love with an actress, or change and transform in complex ways. He's the future president, and there are limitations imposed by the facts. And by respect.
Should you see this? Only if you are a total John Ford fan, or if you like older movies that have a lot of pageantry and storytelling plainness. I do like Ford and Fonda and Lincoln, all. But I couldn't enjoy the movie as hard as I tried.
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