Abraham Lincoln (1930)

An episodic biography of the 16th President of the United States.

Director:

D.W. Griffith

Writers:

John W. Considine Jr. (story), Stephen Vincent Benet (adaptation),

Stars:

William L. Thorne, Lucille La Verne, Walter Huston

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
William L. Thorne	...	Tom Lincoln (as W.L. Thorne)
Lucille La Verne	...	Mid-Wife
Helen Freeman	...	Nancy Hanks Lincoln
Otto Hoffman	...	Offut
Walter Huston	...	Abraham Lincoln
Edgar Dearing	...	Jack Armstrong (as Edgar Deering)
Una Merkel	...	Ann Rutledge
Russell Simpson	...	Uncle Jimmy--Lincoln's Employer
Charles Crockett	...	Sheriff
Kay Hammond	...	Mary Todd Lincoln
Helen Ware	...	Mrs. Edwards
E. Alyn Warren	...	Stephen A. Douglas / Gen. Ulysses S. Grant
Jason Robards Sr.	...	Billy Herndon (as Jason Robards)
Gordon Thorpe	...	Tad Lincoln
Ian Keith	...	John Wilkes Booth

Storyline

Brief vignettes about Lincoln's early life include his birth, early jobs, (unsubstantiated) affair with Ann Rutledge, courtship of Mary Todd, and the Lincoln-Douglas debates; his presidency and the Civil War are followed in somewhat more detail, though without actual battle scenes; film concludes with the assassination.

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Plot Keywords:

president | assassination | civil war | courtship | debate | 

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Taglines:

The wonder film of the century, about the most romantic figure who ever lived!

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Genres:

Biography | Drama | History | War

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Certificate:

TV-G

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

8 November 1930 (USA)

Also Known As:

D.W. Griffith's 'Abraham Lincoln'

Company Credits

Production Co:

D.W. Griffith Productions, Feature Productions, Joseph Schenck Presents

Technical Specs

Runtime:

96 min 90 min (TCM print) 96 min (copyright length)

Sound Mix:

Mono (MovieTone)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.20 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Jason Robards (also known as Jason Robards Jr.),the son of the actor appearing here as Lincoln's law partner, has played Abe Lincoln three times on the small screen: in a 1964 Hallmark Hall of Fame special, a 1991 made-for-TV movie and a 1992 documentary. He has also played three other US presidents. He also was the voice of U. S. Grant in Ken Burns' documentary, "The Civil War."

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Goofs

General Lee repeatedly addresses an officer as Colonel, or Colonel Marshall, but the officer wears the insignia of a Captain on his collar.

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Quotes

[death scene]
Ann Rutledge: I know the truth, dear. It's goodbye.
Abraham Lincoln: No, no, Ann, dear. You're not going to leave me. I won't let you!
Ann Rutledge: We must be brave, dear...
[looking up to the heavens]
Ann Rutledge: Don't take me away. Don't take me away! It's so dark and lonesome!
Abraham Lincoln: Ann, you mustn't let go.
Ann Rutledge: If they'd sing, I wouldn't be so afraid.
[a chorus of "Sweet By and By" swells up in the background]
Ann Rutledge: We will meet there, dear.

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Connections

Edited into General Spanky (1936)

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Soundtracks

"Battle Hymn of the Republic"
(ca 1856) (uncredited)
Music by William Steffe
Lyrics by Julia Ward Howe (1862)
Played during the opening credits and often in the score
Sung by an offscreen chorus during a civil war scene

User Reviews

Yes, it is bad, but...

I think it qualifies as a must-see film for all true scholars of the cinema. That is not to say that it is a good film. It is most certainly not. But this is really a perfect film in which to study the biggest change that this artistic medium ever experienced, the change from silence to sound. The whole film comes off as so, so awkward. It doesn't help that the script is awful. The film is actually over-ambitious, trying hard to cover the entire life of Abe, from birth to death. However bad Abraham Lincoln is, though, I myself found it more than watchable and always fascinating. 6/10.