Customer Reviews

Gore Vidal's Lincoln

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Sam Waterston is a very different Lincoln than the stately, orthodox one of Raymond Massey or even Henry Fonda. This Lincoln is clever, scheming, cynically funny and nakedly ambitious--one who might have a thing or two in common with some well known politicians of the 20th century. You could even call Waterston the first urban Lincoln, under the rail-splitting pretentions. But Waterston never loses sight of Lincoln's tortured, proud but guilt-ridden greatness, and that is the secret of his fine portrayal.

But, more historically correct. Lincoln was a politician. He never set out to free the slaves. He actually offered leading free Blacks the opportunity to take the slaves to a new American colony in South America because he never thought ex-slaves would have a chance. There was corruption in his Administration. First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln probably sold the text of the "State of the Union" address to the New York Times. She also kept 'ghost' employees on the White House payroll to pay for her extravagances in remodeling.

Still, Lincoln was a good man and a good leader, grieved at the state of America. Sam Waterson depicts a man heavily laden with the burdens of a country, constituency, and family that could be enough to break a lesser person's resolve.

Mary Tyler Moore's performance as Mary Todd Lincoln was also good. No one will ever know whether it was mental illness, addiction to morphine, or some other cause that drove her to 'headaches' and spendthrift behavior. Tyler Moore's presentation was of Todd-Lincoln was troubled---and human.

My big complaint about this DVD was the film quality. This looked like a low budget film that was not digitially remastered for DVD. Pity, because this is an excellent depiction of the times and one of our American heroes.

The TV movie, perhaps predictably, doesn't have all the sardonic bite of Vidal's original novel. But it goes a long way toward breaking out of the Raymond Massey talking-waxwork mold and giving us a Lincoln believable as politician and man, as well as a strong portrait of the intensely political milieu in which he operated. Waterston is excellent-- completely unbound by past portrayals of Lincoln, and even fairly good at making us believe that he's anywhere near Lincoln's height-- and though I think there's a little too much of Mary Todd's personal life and not enough of the Civil War in this miniseries, there's no quibbling with Moore's splendid performance, which beautifully captures the pathos of this sad, unliked woman.

Though made drearily for television, this film has a number of elements that is ahead of its time. Sam Waterston's savvy, almost hippie-like Lincoln is not at all the "great ape" that many of Lincoln's detractors claimed. He is like the true Abraham Lincoln. With the high-pitched Kentucky squeak in his voice (like Lincoln), Waterston is simply riveting- as Lincoln himself must have been. His terrible screech of pain during the height of the Civil War is something I had always imagined he did several times. Waterston hypnotizes with this Emmy-worthy portrayal. The facts in the film are blurry at times, the direction is plodding, the lighting is too dark- and Mary Tyler Moore as Mary Todd Lincoln must be the casting blunder of the 20th century. Yet all involved give terrific performances. Too bad there wasn't more LINCOLN to this "Lincoln". But all in all, it is the must-see for any interested viewer.

Much of Abraham Lincoln's life has been accounted for and reaccounted for a thousand times over. The facts play around in our minds, much without emotional anchors to hold them down. Prolific and outspoken writer Gore vidal penned a "fictional" account of Lincoln in his marvelous book, which a few years later, adapted into a made-for-TV movie. The result, then as now, is an intriguing insights into the personality of the Lincoln family.

The movie starts with Lincoln slinking into Washington DC, for fear of a secessionist uprising in Balitmore, under disguise, for which he was much aligned. Constrasted with Mary's arrival, with hoopla and a thousand suitcases, shows the underlying dichotomy in the famous first couple. Jumping from historical event to historical event, the drama digs a bit deeper into the effects of the events on the family. By the time you've finished the movie, you felt like you've not only have a deeper understanding of the Civil War, but of the Lincolns as well.

Sam Waterson nails, absolutely nails, Lincoln. We see all sides of him. It must have been a daunting role to play. We have solely deified Lincoln, almost erasing his humanity. Waterson brings it back in full force, with all the humor and sadness needed. At first, hearing that Mary Tyler Moore as Mary Todd Lincoln seems like a joke. Who would ever thought that Mary Richards could play someone Hay and Nicolette called "Hell Cat?". But she does. Her decent into madness at the death of Willie is heartbreaking. Richard Mulligan's performance as Sweard is canny, and the ever stalwart Ruby Dee plays Mary Lincoln's dressmaker Mrs. Keckley with all of the sassiness and care required.

I rated this movie four stars, not for content or for acting, but for the DVD transfer. It's simply on the verge of being terrible. The picture quality lacks any quality at all. It appears fuzzy and smoky on my screen quite a bit. As for any special features, forget it. This wasn't ever enough to detract from my enjoyment in watching the show, but this DVD looks like a hack job for sure.

However, Gore Vidal's Lincoln deserves a place in my video library as an interesting examination of a well-known time; well-acted, and tells a great story. I recommend this to anyone wanting an insider's look of a fascinating man and family.

I am so thankful I ignored the negative reviews!!
I loved this mini-series on tv and recorded it on vhs at ep!!! What was I thinking? How to save tape??
I was thrilled to find out it was finally on dvd. But when I read how badly the lighting, sound, etc. was, I was doing some rethinking.
Then I thought again. If I enjoyed watching my horrible copy on vhs over and over again, the dvd couldn't possible be any worse. So I did order.
And I'm glad I did. The dvd far exceeds my badly taped vhs version. The movie is enjoyable, factual, and unforgettable. Lincoln fans MUST get this dvd!

I have read Gore Vidal's book many years ago and I obtained a copy of the movie by recording the TV series. But because VHS tape is not very permanent...I decided to order the dvd. The movie follows pretty close to the book. Sam Waterston is an excellent Lincoln. I have seen my fair share of Lincolns over the years with the only other one I like and that Henry Fonda in his portrayal of "Young Mr. Lincoln". The movie moves along with great characters portraying such people as Seward, Chase, Gen. Winfield Scott (John Houseman was an excellent choice). And of course Mary Tyler Moore as Mary Lincoln. All in all, I have certain videos or movies that I can watch over and over again once a month or so. I heard a interview of Sam Waterston regarding his portrayal of Lincoln and that he had to work at that "Western" accent as well as the high-pitched voice that describes Lincoln's speaking. I recommend it to anyone.

Gore Vidal presents the noble yet tragic figure of Abraham Lincoln in a very accurate fashion. Being a professor of history, I appreciate the realism in Vidal's presentation of both the people and events in the story. The struggles Lincoln faced as a politician, president, husband and father are well-developed by Vidal through his dramatic writing. The viewer comes to feel a sense of identity with Lincoln, who is portrayed not only as a great man in history, but also as a man much like you and I might associate with in our everyday lives. While staying fairly true to the historic Lincoln and events of the time, the film's dramatic presentation keep the interests of the viewer who might not necessarily be a history buff. The high quality of Vidal's work actually encourages the viewer to take a further look into other historic representations on film, from which there are many to choose.

This is the best fictional movie about Lincoln that I have ever seen. It is intelligent and accurate, and beautifully directed. Sam Waterston is brilliant in the title role and Mary Tyler Moore is a fantastic Mrs. Lincoln. Believe me, I have watched this movie at least 25 times. It's terrific.

An excellent made-for-TV film, which is well-written and well-acted. The 1.33:1 DVD has poor picture, hence the two-star rating.