अमेरिकी सिविल वौर के दौरान्, अमेरिका के राष्ट्रपति को सिर्फ़ युद्ध के मैदान का ही नहीं अपने मंत्रिमंडल का भी सामना करना पड़ता है जब वह गुलामों को मुक्त करने का फ़ैसला करते हैं.अमेरिकी सिविल वौर के दौरान्, अमेरिका के राष्ट्रपति को सिर्फ़ युद्ध के मैदान का ही नहीं अपने मंत्रिमंडल का भी सामना करना पड़ता है जब वह गुलामों को मुक्त करने का फ़ैसला करते हैं.अमेरिकी सिविल वौर के दौरान्, अमेरिका के राष्ट्रपति को सिर्फ़ युद्ध के मैदान का ही नहीं अपने मंत्रिमंडल का भी सामना करना पड़ता है जब वह गुलामों को मुक्त करने का फ़ैसला करते हैं.
- निर्देशक
- लेखक
- स्टार
- 2 ऑस्कर जीते
- 107 जीत और कुल 251 नामांकन
फ़ीचर्ड समीक्षाएं
A highly polished, restrained, important movie.
That doesn't make this an exciting movie. The acting is terrific, and filming excellent (including a color saturation pulled back to give it an old look without seeming affected). It is clearly expert in the way we expect from Steven Spielberg above perhaps anyone, at least in the mainstream conventional sense.
But there are two things that make this movie a must see. One is the content. It's about one of the two or three most important things ever to happen in this country--the fight to end slavery during the Civil War. This is such powerful stuff it will make you weep. (If it doesn't, you'll have to ask why.) It's laid out as clearly and emphatically as possible while still keeping accurate.
The second thing is simply the overwhelming performance by Daniel Day-Lewis. It is so good you forget it's a performance (unlike, for example, his intensity in "There Will Be Blood" which stood out as a work of acting above the movie). Here he is so woven into the fabric of things he is indistinguishable from the historic truth, somehow. It's really the magic of the transparency of movie-making of this kind. Amazing performance.
It seems sacrilege to say this but the movie isn't perfect. Because of its material--getting the anti-slavery amendment through Congress--it involves a lot of talk, and a lot of people that you have to keep track of. I think Spielberg did this as good as it could be done, so no criticism there, but it does mean a lack of physical and even emotional drama through much of the film. I don't mean it's dull, just that it's conversational. I also found shreds of Spielberg's Frank Capra quality of making the movies--and his subjects--a little simplified. He ties up loose ends. He makes it all a fine package, very fine. Maybe too fine for what I would call high art. At times.
I think we'll have an easier time judging it in six months, or six years. Also the subject matter makes it almost unassailable, since clearly most of us are all for the passing of any anti-slavery legislation.
See this for all the reasons you have heard. Don't miss it. Maybe down a coffee before you go, but see it no matter what. As I say, it's important. It reminds you of greatness, and that's not something to miss.
UPDATE over one year later: I see that I accepted a lot of decisions by the writer and director as their prerogative, like focussing on one issue and narrowing to a short period of time. I had no bones with the scope of the movie. But in retrospect I see how the limitations of time and scope and background also create a sense of mis-information. That is, if you want a bigger picture of Lincoln, this movie is not quite right. Its aggrandizement is also not unavoidable, like the somewhat insipid (and yet moving) recital of the Gettysburg Address at the beginning by soldiers. Overall, though, I stick to my main thought--see it, and soak up what you can, without expecting perfection. Yes, see it for what it is, nothing less.
Steven Spielberg's "Lincoln," released in 2012, stands as a masterful exploration of one of America's most revered leaders during a pivotal moment in history. Centered on the final months of Abraham Lincoln's presidency, the film delves deeply into the complexities of politics and personalities involved in the passing of the Thirteenth Amendment.
At its heart, Daniel Day-Lewis's portrayal of Abraham Lincoln is nothing short of extraordinary. Day-Lewis embodies Lincoln with a mesmerizing authenticity, capturing not only his physical presence but also his mannerisms and profound intellect. His performance humanizes Lincoln, showing his wit, compassion, and the burden of leadership during the Civil War.
The screenplay by Tony Kushner is a standout feature, drawing from Doris Kearns Goodwin's book "Team of Rivals" to craft a narrative that is both intellectually stimulating and emotionally resonant. The film focuses on Lincoln's strategic efforts to pass the Thirteenth Amendment, which would abolish slavery, amidst the tumultuous political landscape of the time. Kushner's script is rich in dialogue, filled with eloquence and historical depth, providing viewers with a window into the moral and ethical dilemmas faced by Lincoln and his contemporaries.
Spielberg's direction is deft and restrained, allowing the performances and the weight of history to take center stage. The cinematography and production design evoke the atmosphere of the 1860s with meticulous attention to detail, from the elaborate period costumes to the meticulously recreated settings of Washington, D. C.
Supporting performances by Sally Field as Mary Todd Lincoln, Tommy Lee Jones as Thaddeus Stevens, and David Strathairn as William Seward, among others, are uniformly excellent, adding layers of complexity to the narrative and enhancing the film's emotional impact.
"Lincoln" is not just a biographical drama but a profound meditation on power, justice, and the enduring struggle for equality. It resonates deeply with contemporary issues while reminding us of the moral imperatives that shaped America's history. By focusing on Lincoln's personal and political struggles, Spielberg and his team have crafted a film that is both enlightening and deeply moving, offering audiences a powerful and thought-provoking cinematic experience.
"Lincoln" is a triumph of filmmaking, anchored by Daniel Day-Lewis's transformative performance and Spielberg's assured direction. It stands as a testament to the enduring relevance of Abraham Lincoln's legacy and remains a landmark in historical cinema.
A story about Abraham Lincoln's 13th Amendment fight could be a snoozer in the hands of anyone else except director Steven Spielberg and actor Daniel Day-Lewis. Together they bring alive the passage of one of the nineteenth century's greatest pieces of legislation, freeing slaves for all time.
While the Civil War was coming to a close after 4 bloody years in 1865, Lincoln politicked for the amendment's passage, knowing full well that if peace were obtained, the impetus for the amendment would vanish. So politics and war are inextricably tied together, and arguably the most noble American president bartered and lied his way to passage.
Spielberg makes clear that sequestering the South's negotiating team until passage was crucial, if not impeachable. The drama as votes are bought or cajoled is an apt companion to the catastrophic war that cost over a half million lives. Less rewarding as drama is Lincoln's relationship with his wife, Mary (Sally Field), whose depression over the loss of her first child stalks here her lifetime and makes for some less than sweet moments on screen.
But this film belongs to Lincoln, who, as memorably portrayed by Day-Lewis, is a leader of strong will peppered by a sense of humor and a relentless penchant for tales: The story of George Washington's portrait in a British water closet is a hoot. Tommy Lee Jones' Thaddeus Stevens is essential Jones: gruff, blunt, ugly, and charismatic with a dollop of kindness no better exemplified than in his final scene in his bedroom.
Although this is occasionally a heavy-handed history lesson, it is my preferred way to learn. I know now what the 13th Amendment is, and I am aware in our own time of the severity of politics-- that great leaders must also be great politicians, with all the pejorative connotations our recent presidential election can conjure. Steven Spielberg brilliantly shows us that the process can be for the people and by the people and may not perish.
Lincoln is one of my favourite Steven Spielberg movies with amazing performance and a compelling and riveting story.
A-91%
Spielberg mans the camera in one of the most exhilarating biopics in recent memory. Lincoln is a stunning humanization and coloring-book job of American politics, shedding a light on the skepticism and grayness of the government during that time. To simplify the story, Spielberg chooses to focus on the political interworkings of our sixteenth president's cabinet rather than the Civil War itself. It shows the long, grating process of amending the United States' constitution for the thirteenth time to abolish slavery and grant African Americans equality, and how that more than one men stood at the center of the action when the process was taking place, along with how he was incorruptibly confident that ending the practice of slavery will lead to ending the war.
While titled "Lincoln," we get several other characters with a fairly surprising amount of screen time. Among them are Joseph Gordon-Levitt playing Lincoln's oldest son, Robert Todd, Tommy Lee Jones playing Thaddeus Stevens, the fiery Radical Republican leader who is strongly passionate about abolitionism, Sally Field as the president's devoted wife, Mary Todd, and David Strathairn as William Seward, the secretary of state. It could also be said that at times Abraham Lincoln is not writer Tony Kushner's (who also penned Spielberg's Munich, unseen by me) prime focus, as much as it is the backroom deals of the 1865 congress and the political battles and obstacles each member faced when their morals and ideology came forth in abolishing one of the most inhumane acts ever allowed in the United States.
Daniel Day-Lewis is mesmerizing here, never overplaying or shortchanging Lincoln in one of his most reliable roles yet. Here, he seems much more cinematic than his previous works, and seems to be smitten with Lincoln's character and persona as he embodies him for one-hundred and fifty minutes. His voice is not stereotypically deep manly, and guttural as many other works have made him out to be, but reedy and poetically satisfying, boasting not much more than historical records claim. Day-Lewis is only assisted by the wealth of invaluable talent he is surrounded by, yet some of the most powerful work of his career comes out when Lincoln is reciting stories or parables to a group of bewildered, yet fascinated individuals who recall and cherish every word the man is saying.
One requirement upon seeing Lincoln is you must commit to two and a half hours of dialog and monologues from several characters about several different topics. One challenge faced by the filmmakers that is inherently difficult to overcome is the wealth of information, history, and knowledge of the period, and we see the struggle they face at attempting to sum it all up into a structured, disciplined film. I could've seen this as an HBO ten to fifteen part miniseries, elaborating on smaller characters, extending the work of the amendment, and even showing Lincoln's impact on a still vulnerable United States. But such an action may have proved too heavy for even history buffs.
With this film, there is a lot going on in terms of subtleties and there is a plethora of weight that rests on the film's script that at times makes this a challenging picture to watch. I'm reminded of my recent adventure to see the Wachowski's Cloud Atlas, and how that film was beautiful, striking, and increasingly ambitious, but also maddening and occasionally tedious. I wouldn't so much call Lincoln maddening or tedious as I would challenging to stay in-tuned with.
But that does not mean I couldn't see thousands of people emerging pleased and delighted with the film they just saw. This is a richly detailed and unsurprisingly intellectual picture that will go down as one of the greatest cinematic endeavors to ever focus on American politics. Kushner and Spielberg have gone on to make quite possibly the best film we'll ever see about the passage of an amendment through congress and the exhausting compromises and deals that go along with the process. Finally, I must note Spielberg's top notch use of subversive elements from Lincoln's voice, to the focus of the picture from a narrative point of view, to the inevitable conclusion that still leaves us impacted and shaken.
Starring: Daniel Day-Lewis, Sally Field, David Strathairn, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, James Spader, Hal Holbrook, Tommy Lee Jones, and Jackie Earle Haley. Directed by: Steven Spielberg.
क्या आपको पता है
- ट्रिवियाSteven 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.
- गूफ़Two Connecticut Congressmen vote against the 13th Amendment during the movie; however, all four Connecticut Congressmen actually supported and voted in favor of the Amendment in 1865.
- भाव
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.
- क्रेज़ी क्रेडिटNo opening credits except for the main title.
- इसके अलावा अन्य वर्जनFor 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.
- कनेक्शनFeatured in The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: एपिसोड #21.10 (2012)
- साउंडट्रैकWe Are Coming, Father Abra'am
Words by James Sloan Gibbons
Music by Stephen Foster (as Stephen Collins Foster)
टॉप पसंद
विवरण
- रिलीज़ की तारीख़
- कंट्री ऑफ़ ओरिजिन
- आधिकारिक साइट
- भाषा
- इस रूप में भी जाना जाता है
- Office Seekers
- फ़िल्माने की जगहें
- उत्पादन कंपनियां
- IMDbPro पर और कंपनी क्रेडिट देखें
बॉक्स ऑफ़िस
- बजट
- $6,50,00,000(अनुमानित)
- US और कनाडा में सकल
- $18,22,07,973
- US और कनाडा में पहले सप्ताह में कुल कमाई
- $9,44,308
- 11 नव॰ 2012
- दुनिया भर में सकल
- $27,52,93,450
- चलने की अवधि2 घंटे 30 मिनट
- रंग
- ध्वनि मिश्रण
- पक्ष अनुपात
- 2.39 : 1