With it being President’s Day, I thought it was time I finally watch John Ford’s Young Mr. Lincoln (1939). I can’t say I know anything about Abraham Lincoln outside of the general knowledge that we were taught in school. Not that I’m expecting to learn a great deal more from this early biopic film. Lincoln has reached almost mythical status, and there’s no doubt that stories about his life are filled with all kinds of embellishments that may or may not have any truth to them. I think a line from another John Ford classic, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962), would be appropriate here: “When the legend becomes fact, print the legend.”.
After some initial scenes showing Lincoln’s interest in law, and starting out at a law firm soon after, most of this first act is dedicated to the July 4th festivities taking place in Springfield, IL. The scenes here are pretty entertaining, as we see Lincoln competing in a pie tasting contest (unable to decide between peach, and apple), and then he competes in a log splitting contest, and finally in a game of tug-of-war, where our “honest” abe hitches the rope to a carriage, ensuring a victory. Like many of his other pictures, Ford is able to encapsulate so much Americana into every frame here.
At night, as the celebrations are coming to an end, a fight breaks out amongst 3 individuals. A gunshot is heard, and soon after, it’s declared the man that fired it has been stabbed to death. The two accused of the killing are brothers, and they’re soon arrested by the town sheriff. But that isn’t good enough for some of the townspeople who knew the victim. They’re out for blood, and want these two young men hanged. Lincoln is thankfully nearby to help calm this lynch mob down. It’s the first indication in the film of his oratory prowess, using both humor, and common sense to assuage the public.
Lincoln is portrayed by Henry Fonda. While perhaps not as looming a figure as the real Abe, I thought Fonda fit into his larger-than-life shoes quite well. Not just appearance-wise, but Fonda also had that soft-spoken, fair-minded personality that made him an ideal choice for the character.
The final act of the film is dedicated to the trial of these two young men. The trial seems to have brought in the entire city, and it looks more like a circus event than it does a murder trial. Even Lincoln appears to not take it seriously, pacing the room, and moving from one seat to another around the court. He also uses his sharp wit, and well-timed jabs at the prosecution to bring an already boisterous crowd into an absolute uproar, and that includes the judge himself.
As I was watching the court scenes play out, I was surprised by how well Fonda’s role here paralleled his role in 12 Angry Men (1957). In both films, Fonda’s character is the voice of reason, trying to convince a majority to consider the possibility that the accused are in fact innocent.
Much of Young Mr. Lincoln isn’t very political. Yes, some politics, and allusions to Lincoln’s future are there, but it really focuses on a time when he was just a novice attorney. It isn’t until the final moments of the film where we get a heavier dose of patriotism. Lincoln walks up a hill as The Battle Hymn of the Republic plays in the background. It then ends on scene showing The Lincoln Memorial. While I can’t say I know more about the real-life Abraham Lincoln after seeing this film, I think Young Mr. Lincoln, like many other biopics, serve as a good starting point to gauge your interest on a person.
Young Mr. Lincoln is available on Blu-ray and DVD from The Criterion Collection.
Blu-ray: https://amzn.to/49m8etG
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