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IMDbPro

Lincoln

  • 20122012
  • PG-13PG-13
  • 2h 30m
IMDb RATING
7.3/10
263K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
1,672
137
Daniel Day-Lewis in Lincoln (2012)
As the Civil War continues to rage, America's president struggles with continuing carnage on the battlefield and as he fights with many inside his own cabinet on the decision to emancipate the slaves.
Play trailer2:29
12 Videos
99+ Photos
BiographyDramaHistory
As the American Civil War continues to rage, America's president struggles with continuing carnage on the battlefield as he fights with many inside his own cabinet on the decision to emancip... Read allAs the American Civil War continues to rage, America's president struggles with continuing carnage on the battlefield as he fights with many inside his own cabinet on the decision to emancipate the slaves.As the American Civil War continues to rage, America's president struggles with continuing carnage on the battlefield as he fights with many inside his own cabinet on the decision to emancipate the slaves.
IMDb RATING
7.3/10
263K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
1,672
137
    • Steven Spielberg
    • Tony Kushner(screenplay by)
    • Doris Kearns Goodwin(based in part on the book "Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln" by)
  • Stars
    • Daniel Day-Lewis
    • Sally Field
    • David Strathairn
    • Steven Spielberg
    • Tony Kushner(screenplay by)
    • Doris Kearns Goodwin(based in part on the book "Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln" by)
  • Stars
    • Daniel Day-Lewis
    • Sally Field
    • David Strathairn
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 927User reviews
    • 566Critic reviews
    • 86Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Won 2 Oscars

    Videos12

    Lincoln
    Music Video 3:15
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    Winner: Best Actor
    Trailer 2:29
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    Best Picture Nominee
    Trailer 2:20
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    "Unite" TV Spot
    Promo 2:01
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    Photos229

    Daniel Day-Lewis in Lincoln (2012)
    James Spader, David Strathairn, John Hawkes, and Tim Blake Nelson in Lincoln (2012)
    Daniel Day-Lewis in Lincoln (2012)
    Daniel Day-Lewis and Joseph Gordon-Levitt in Lincoln (2012)
    John Hawkes in Lincoln (2012)
    Daniel Day-Lewis and Sally Field in Lincoln (2012)
    Daniel Day-Lewis in Lincoln (2012)
    Tommy Lee Jones, Sally Field, David Costabile, Wayne Duvall, and John Hutton in Lincoln (2012)
    Daniel Day-Lewis, David Strathairn, Hal Holbrook, David Costabile, Joseph Cross, Byron Jennings, and Jeremy Strong in Lincoln (2012)
    Sally Field in Lincoln (2012)
    Daniel Day-Lewis in Lincoln (2012)
    Daniel Day-Lewis in Lincoln (2012)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Daniel Day-Lewis
    Daniel Day-Lewis
    • Abraham Lincoln
    Sally Field
    Sally Field
    • Mary Todd Lincoln
    David Strathairn
    David Strathairn
    • William Seward
    Joseph Gordon-Levitt
    Joseph Gordon-Levitt
    • Robert Lincoln
    James Spader
    James Spader
    • W.N. Bilbo
    Hal Holbrook
    Hal Holbrook
    • Preston Blair
    Tommy Lee Jones
    Tommy Lee Jones
    • Thaddeus Stevens
    John Hawkes
    John Hawkes
    • Robert Latham
    Jackie Earle Haley
    Jackie Earle Haley
    • Alexander Stephens
    Bruce McGill
    Bruce McGill
    • Edwin Stanton
    Tim Blake Nelson
    Tim Blake Nelson
    • Richard Schell
    Joseph Cross
    Joseph Cross
    • John Hay
    Jared Harris
    Jared Harris
    • Ulysses S. Grant
    Lee Pace
    Lee Pace
    • Fernando Wood
    Peter McRobbie
    Peter McRobbie
    • George Pendleton
    Gulliver McGrath
    Gulliver McGrath
    • Tad Lincoln
    Gloria Reuben
    Gloria Reuben
    • Elizabeth Keckley
    Jeremy Strong
    Jeremy Strong
    • John Nicolay
      • Steven Spielberg
      • Tony Kushner(screenplay by)
      • Doris Kearns Goodwin(based in part on the book "Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln" by)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Steven Spielberg spent 12 years researching the film. He recreated Abraham Lincoln's Executive Mansion office precisely, with the same wallpaper and books Lincoln used. The ticking of Lincoln's watch in the film is the sound of Lincoln's actual pocket watch. Lincoln's watch is housed in the Kentucky Historical Society in Frankfort, Kentucky (not the Lincoln Presidential Library). It is the watch he carried the day of his assassination.
    • Goofs
      In Lincoln's death scene, he is shown lying somewhat on his side, on top of the covers on a bed at the Petersen House (across from Ford's Theatre). In reality, Abraham Lincoln lingered nearly 10 hours and had been put into bed under the covers to keep him warm, and diagonally, because he was so tall he wouldn't have fit otherwise.
    • Quotes

      Abraham Lincoln: It was right after the revolution, right after peace had been concluded. And Ethan Allen went to London to help our new country conduct its business with the king. The English sneered at how rough we are and rude and simple-minded and on like that, everywhere he went. 'Til one day he was invited to the townhouse of a great English lord. Dinner was served, beverages imbibed, time passed as happens and Mr. Allen found he needed the privy. He was grateful to be directed to this. Relieved, you might say. Mr. Allen discovered on entering the water closet that the only decoration therein was a portrait of George Washington. Ethan Allen done what he came to do and returned to the drawing room. His host and the others were disappointed when he didn't mention Washington's portrait. And finally his lordship couldn't resist and asked Mr. Allen had he noticed it, the picture of Washington. He said he had. Well, what did he think of its placement? Did it seem appropriately located to Mr. Allen? And Mr. Allen said it did. The host was astounded.

      [British accent]

      Abraham Lincoln: "Appropriate? George Washington's likeness in a water closet?"

      [normal voice]

      Abraham Lincoln: "Yes," said Mr. Allen, "where it will do good service. The world knows nothing will make an Englishman shit quicker than the sight of George Washington."

      [the whole room laughs]

      Abraham Lincoln: I love that story.

    • Crazy credits
      No opening credits except for the main title.
    • Alternate versions
      For international releases, an additional prologue about the Civil War was added prior to the start of the film. It mostly shows archive photos with the prologue text included in it. This was decided by the studio's marketing department in its research which realized that while many non-American audiences know of the titular character, most of them are not familiar with the war itself.
    • Connections
      Featured in The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Episode #21.10 (2012)
    • Soundtracks
      We Are Coming, Father Abra'am
      Words by James Sloan Gibbons

      Music by Stephen Foster (as Stephen Collins Foster)

    User reviews927

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    Patient and engaging while mostly avoiding sentimentality
    I approached this film with caution and did so for several reasons. First and foremost, this is Oscars season and this type of film is just what one expects to come out and be showered with Oscar buzz – and quite often these films are found to be lacking once they are out of this period and on their own. The second reason was related and it was that I didn't for a second think that this film would be able to go for more than two minutes without the heroic music coming up, a soft focus being slapped on the lens and someone giving a great speech about the morality of everything while the camera cuts to those around looking teary eyed and yet full of admiration. In other words I worried that this would simply be a more expensive version of The West Wing season 1.

    Although the film does rather fall into these traps occasionally, it is by no means seriously flawed since the majority of the film is patience and very well delivered. We focus on the final few years of Lincoln's life, specifically the period towards the end of the war where slavery was abolished by Constitutional amendment. As such the film is about political wrangling and the determination to stay the course with the goal even though it would be difficult and smart politics suggested to not risk the bigger prize (peace) at the expense of an aspiration. The film shows this very well and it manages to be patient without being slow – which is quite the achievement considering that the film is essentially men in rooms talking. The politicking was well delivered so that it wasn't dull but wasn't falsely sped up. The sentimentality is kept to a surprisingly low. It is still there of course and the camera frequently looks for a heroic frame and the music often reminds us the grandeur of what we are seeing, but it doesn't overdo it too much and certainly nowhere near the levels I feared.

    Day Lewis is perhaps a given for the Oscar. His Lincoln is certainly a spot on creation – he comes over as heroic and steadfast without being mythicalised by his own performance. He really gives an impression of the man's spirit throughout the film. The supporting cast is so deep in names and faces that it is hard to know where to start; being honest, at times I did find it a little distracting as a parade came across the screen – seemingly all from TV shows I watch or films I had seen, I suspect I could be quite far down the cast list before I found someone I couldn't place. Aside from this distracting a little, it does mean the cast is deep in talent and everyone does well. Tommy Lee Jones in particular adds passion and color to all his scenes and the film benefits from his performance. Field is perhaps not as good – although in fairness I didn't think the personal side to the story worked as well as the rest – and since this is her parts, maybe that is why I didn't like her performance as much. Spielberg's direction is very well paced; shots are very well picked and the camera is very patient in its movement.

    Lincoln didn't blow me away but it did quietly impress me. Part of the reason for this is that the film doesn't go all out for emotion or history or sentimentality, it simply lets it happen in the main and manages to keep these traps to a comparative minimum that really helps the film. It is long but never boring, respectful but never overly so.
    helpful•18
    11
    • bob the moo
    • Feb 23, 2013

    FAQ4

    • Why does Abraham Lincoln's voice sound so high-pitched?
    • What are the differences between the US Version and the International Version?
    • Did Lincoln really say his primary goal was to save the union and not end slavery?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • November 16, 2012 (United States)
      • United States
      • India
      • Official Facebook
      • English
    • Also known as
    • Filming locations
      • State Capitol, Capitol Square - Ninth & Grace Streets, Richmond, Virginia, USA
    • Production companies
      • Dreamworks Pictures
      • Twentieth Century Fox
      • Reliance Entertainment
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

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    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

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    • 2 hours 30 minutes
      • Color
      • Dolby Digital
      • Datasat
      • SDDS
      • Dolby Surround 7.1
      • Dolby Atmos

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