Review of Young Mr. Lincoln (1939) by Andrew U — 20 May 2009

A heartfelt drama that separates itself into two categories; a character study and a courtroom drama. The character study comes first, which sets up the narrative in a way to depict the much beloved sixteenth President of the United States. However, as much as one would like to believe, it is not Abe Lincoln being depicted onscreen, it is that of Henry Fonda's brilliant performance. Yes, it is subdued as a result of popular stories and tall tales of the large man (in height and history), yet there seems to be a sort of generosity from John Ford in regards to Fonda's performance. It is Fonda's walk, his well-known sincerity and humbleness that is usually seen in his performances.

The courtroom drama half is exactly that. Quite cliche as is usual with such a genre, but it is the better half, no matter the factual discrepancies. It takes what the first half couldn't seem to push forward which is a matter of actual direction and narrative. The camera also begins to take life and the lighting becomes superb, often silhouetting Lincoln's profile. Fonda shines here and the viewer gets a more tangible idea of what Ford wishes to present through the legend of Lincoln. It's also nice to see the early brilliance of Ford's often used character actor Ward Bond from his stock company. He is the only other actor worth mentioning in regards to Fonda in this film.

The problem enters in combining these two halves. They don't seem to work together and it takes a completely different turn which disorients the viewer. Now, they would have worked perfectly as completely separate films seeing as they both would have enough to work with on their own. Thus, here lies the problem. There is too much going on and characters (or the memories of characters) are placed aside or completely forgotten. These are minor problems in regards to the way the film makes one feel toward the end, hence the rating. It lifts you up only to make you saddened by the protagonists impending fate. Exactly what a collective historical drama should do, whether it's held down by separate dramas or not.