I disagree that this is the definitive Lincoln. Massey is like one of Disney's Audioanimatrons. I agree with one corespondent that Henry Fonda's performance as Lincoln tended to lapse into a trance. Same with other Fonda roles, which is one reason he's not my favorite actor. Both actors seem to have been overwhelmed by history and thus Lincoln comes out as an icon, not as a human. There was a miniseries with Hal Holbrook some years ago that gave us a more human Lincoln.
Whatever actor or studio manages the perfect Lincoln ought to do us a favor and have him deliver both the Gettysburg Address and the Second Inaugural, even if it doesn't fit into the movie. Send the clips around to schools. Would love to see the greatness of those speeches matched to a great performance.
Whatever actor or studio manages the perfect Lincoln ought to do us a favor and have him deliver both the Gettysburg Address and the Second Inaugural, even if it doesn't fit into the movie. Send the clips around to schools. Would love to see the greatness of those speeches matched to a great performance.