I don't think the decision of making a movie about the most admired and beloved President of the United States during the rise of fascism and totalitarian regimes, on the year of 1939, was fortuitous. The world was about to live its darkest hours and John Ford came up with "Young Mr. Lincoln" as a necessary reminder of the beauty and purity of the American ideals incarnated by one man, Abraham Lincoln ... But while the movie could have sinned by being overly patriotic, Ford chose a more nuanced direction with no room for obvious material and it ironically made the 'propaganda' aspect more efficient, and the film no less enjoyable.
Abraham Lincoln is portrayed by Henry Fonda with an uncanny resemblance that will get more and more impressive as the movie progresses. But I guess the reason why Fonda wasn't nominated for an Oscar (which surprised me) was because the characterization's strength relied more on the direction. John Ford creates Lincoln through very subtle and eloquent contrasts. Take the first scene, the man in political campaign has all the mannerisms of corruption, speaking loudly and standing with confidence, waving arms like an Antic comedian. And then comes Abe, a young man, in a horizontal position, a bit clumsy when he's standing as if he's still trying to domesticate his tall and heavy demeanor. But after the previous histrionic speech, the audience waits for a new tone ...
Lincoln tries to find where to put his hands, very uneasy, he still lacks confidence, but when he starts talking, something happens. The way he talks, this humility exudes a sincerity that the children in the audience got, the sign of a promising future. Fate is marching on, but there's still this sweet innocence so unlike the figure we know. In the later scene, we see him again, lying near a tree, as if the towering man still prefers to stay out of the public, but I think there's more about this. This is Ford showing Lincoln as the symbolic continuation of the tree, the man as the tree, the pillar of America, the eternal symbol of justice. No wonder he's studying law under it. And then comes Ann, the girl who encourages him, foreseing a great future. And we feel like a forbidden love growing between them, as illustrated by another allegory, with the hostile branches and the barrier that kind of blocks their way.
And this leads to one of the most abrupt ellipses, with the next shot featuring her grave, she's dead. Why? How? All we know is that there'll be no obstacle for Abe's destiny. Destiny which plays a significant part like in this poignant scene where Abe lets one branch decide if he's going to continue law studies or stay at home. The branch falls in the direction of his girlfriend's grave, and seals his fate ... although he wonders if he didn't unconsciously let it fall that way. This touch summarizes what I particularly liked in this film, showing Lincoln as a man who has this unique quality to be serious without taking himself seriously, he obviously cheats in this game because he feels like inhabited by a greater future. He then becomes a lawyer, and settles in Springfield.
And his profession reinforces his attachment to true American principles, among them, free circulation of money : look at the cold stare he addressed to the man who was about to give him a fake piece: Lincoln could be a falcon with natural authority. And when the poor mother paid him at the end, he accepted, out of respect for money, one of the pillars of success and prosperity, and for the pride of the family he saved. Family, as the second principle, and more generally, community as symbolized by the circles ... whether meant for lynching or dancing. In both cases, Lincoln is the outsider who makes his entrance, with authority for the mob or clumsiness for the aristocracy. He's standing alone and can't get into the dancing circle during the ball, only till Mary invites him, and as he said, he's the worst dancer, and does look ridiculous.
And this is one of his admirable qualities: modesty and capacity to always tell the truth. Even for his weaknesses, his sincerity shows a strength that would belong to one great leader, and no surprise than in the scene after, when we expect something romantic, he just stares at the river, and doesn't even pay attention to Mary, who chooses to slide away. He's again contemplating a promising future, something great that transcends his environment. The truth is marching, and speaking of truth, he'll take any juror who's a drunkard and admits his weakness over one who thinks he's better than the next fellow. He will prevent the mother who saw her two boys 'killing' a man, from denouncing one of them as he will never let the Secession destroy his country, family is as sacred a principle as union. His youth already planted the seeds of a profound attachment to noble virtues. He'll bring the light as he did for the murder case, where Ford showed his talent again, because the murderer was obvious, despite the obscurity, and we missed it. Lincoln is the light.
There is a transformation smoothly going during the movie as we see a man lost in his own self-deprecation and derision, and builds a character out of that. At the end, Fonda even sits like Lincoln, his demeanor is more powerful. And as he's walking to the hill, he looks more and more like the Lincoln we know, and the film ends with the Washington Monument as if good old John Ford was artificially injecting some propaganda material telling us : "now this is the 'Lincoln' you all know", but he doesn't fool anyone, this movie is about a more human Lincoln, and no less fascinating. Yes, siree ...
Abraham Lincoln is portrayed by Henry Fonda with an uncanny resemblance that will get more and more impressive as the movie progresses. But I guess the reason why Fonda wasn't nominated for an Oscar (which surprised me) was because the characterization's strength relied more on the direction. John Ford creates Lincoln through very subtle and eloquent contrasts. Take the first scene, the man in political campaign has all the mannerisms of corruption, speaking loudly and standing with confidence, waving arms like an Antic comedian. And then comes Abe, a young man, in a horizontal position, a bit clumsy when he's standing as if he's still trying to domesticate his tall and heavy demeanor. But after the previous histrionic speech, the audience waits for a new tone ...
Lincoln tries to find where to put his hands, very uneasy, he still lacks confidence, but when he starts talking, something happens. The way he talks, this humility exudes a sincerity that the children in the audience got, the sign of a promising future. Fate is marching on, but there's still this sweet innocence so unlike the figure we know. In the later scene, we see him again, lying near a tree, as if the towering man still prefers to stay out of the public, but I think there's more about this. This is Ford showing Lincoln as the symbolic continuation of the tree, the man as the tree, the pillar of America, the eternal symbol of justice. No wonder he's studying law under it. And then comes Ann, the girl who encourages him, foreseing a great future. And we feel like a forbidden love growing between them, as illustrated by another allegory, with the hostile branches and the barrier that kind of blocks their way.
And this leads to one of the most abrupt ellipses, with the next shot featuring her grave, she's dead. Why? How? All we know is that there'll be no obstacle for Abe's destiny. Destiny which plays a significant part like in this poignant scene where Abe lets one branch decide if he's going to continue law studies or stay at home. The branch falls in the direction of his girlfriend's grave, and seals his fate ... although he wonders if he didn't unconsciously let it fall that way. This touch summarizes what I particularly liked in this film, showing Lincoln as a man who has this unique quality to be serious without taking himself seriously, he obviously cheats in this game because he feels like inhabited by a greater future. He then becomes a lawyer, and settles in Springfield.
And his profession reinforces his attachment to true American principles, among them, free circulation of money : look at the cold stare he addressed to the man who was about to give him a fake piece: Lincoln could be a falcon with natural authority. And when the poor mother paid him at the end, he accepted, out of respect for money, one of the pillars of success and prosperity, and for the pride of the family he saved. Family, as the second principle, and more generally, community as symbolized by the circles ... whether meant for lynching or dancing. In both cases, Lincoln is the outsider who makes his entrance, with authority for the mob or clumsiness for the aristocracy. He's standing alone and can't get into the dancing circle during the ball, only till Mary invites him, and as he said, he's the worst dancer, and does look ridiculous.
And this is one of his admirable qualities: modesty and capacity to always tell the truth. Even for his weaknesses, his sincerity shows a strength that would belong to one great leader, and no surprise than in the scene after, when we expect something romantic, he just stares at the river, and doesn't even pay attention to Mary, who chooses to slide away. He's again contemplating a promising future, something great that transcends his environment. The truth is marching, and speaking of truth, he'll take any juror who's a drunkard and admits his weakness over one who thinks he's better than the next fellow. He will prevent the mother who saw her two boys 'killing' a man, from denouncing one of them as he will never let the Secession destroy his country, family is as sacred a principle as union. His youth already planted the seeds of a profound attachment to noble virtues. He'll bring the light as he did for the murder case, where Ford showed his talent again, because the murderer was obvious, despite the obscurity, and we missed it. Lincoln is the light.
There is a transformation smoothly going during the movie as we see a man lost in his own self-deprecation and derision, and builds a character out of that. At the end, Fonda even sits like Lincoln, his demeanor is more powerful. And as he's walking to the hill, he looks more and more like the Lincoln we know, and the film ends with the Washington Monument as if good old John Ford was artificially injecting some propaganda material telling us : "now this is the 'Lincoln' you all know", but he doesn't fool anyone, this movie is about a more human Lincoln, and no less fascinating. Yes, siree ...