Standing Ovation – At The Moving Picture Show
I went to see Lincoln. For some reason, Cinemark is not showing it so I had to go to the big city to see it.
I’m completely delighted that I did. And I plan on doing it again because I was so taken by the cinematography, acting, and music that I am completely certain that I missed some dialogue. It is a gorgeous, delicate, and profound movie.
I won’t spoil it for you by telling you the end.
I have one small peevish complaint. The movie left me hungry for more history. I haven’t read Doris Kearns Goodwin’s book so I wondered if, in fact, Thaddeus Stevens had a black mistress. El Jefe Bob found the answer for me this morning. I know you can’t put everything in a movie, but I kinda wish they had portrayed Lydia Hamilton as a strong intelligent businesswoman and partner rather than just a mistress. I just ordered Goodwin’s book for my Nook.
Go see it. At the end of the movie people in the theater gave it a standing ovation and sat back down to watch the credits as to honor the people who made this movie. I’ve never seen that before.
I was enthralled. It was a beautiful movie, and Daniel Day-Lewis has absolutely nailed the characterization of Lincoln, from everything I’ve ever read about him: the slumped posture, the flat-footed gait, the flat prairie accent, the kind of high voice. What absolutely blew me away was the humanity of the character. In previous movies or tv shows, even actors I respect still played him more as a marble monument (exception: Star Trek, the original series – who’d have guessed?)
So far as I know the history was almost exactly spot-on. There were one or two quibbles I had, (e.g. in Congress they were talking in Statuary Hall aka the “Old House Chamber” which, though vacated in 1857, did not have its first statue until 1870 and in 1865 had not been renovated yet)
DDL will win best actor, hands down. Which is sad for Denzel, who was amazing in “Flight” and, I suspect, Bill Murray. I have a sneaking suspicion that Hyde Park on Hudson will garner him a nomination for playing FDR. That will be my next must-see flick.
But Lincoln, like the man, is unique and sublime.
1If you want more history, I strongly recommend the series on History Channel, The Men Who Built America. Watched the whole thing over the Thanksgiving break, really good stuff. And I’m just totally in love with DKG, she so darn smart! Her Lincoln book has been waiting patiently on my bedside table for several months and I can’t wait to see the movie.
2Next week is the beginning of my retirement, and I’ve been thinking of things to do that I can’t do whilst still working. Just added “going to a movie in the middle of a workday” to that list. And I’m also adding Kerns book to my to-be-read list, where it joins, among others, William Manchester’s A World Lit Only by Fire.
3DaChipster, thanks for the Hyde Park on Hudson suggestion.
Congrats on the retirement, AHL: Anything DKG is good, Manchester I LOVE, and am so sad he died before finishing his Churchill trilogy The Last Lion…oh, how I regret that! You should also read ANYTHING by David McCullough – 1776 is a great place to start, I’m re-reading his Truman right now.
Anybody who wants to read the history of the Civil War like it was a novel instead of boring history should read Shelby Foote’s 3-volume set. It’s the Lord of the Rings of history books.
If any of y’all want to ease yourself into all the characters surrounding Lincoln before seeing Lincoln read Lincoln by Gore Vidal. It’s fiction, but very true-to-history.
4Thanks, daChipster. I’m always trolling for good books and maybe these are as good as fiction. What do you think? or are some of the titles fiction?
5Only Gore Vidal is fiction, all the rest are (were) very accomplished historians with engaging writing styles.
6A World Lit Only by Fire is a good introduction to the Middle Ages; follow that up with A Distant Mirror by Barbara Tuchman. Anything by Tuchman is good, but Mirror is my favorite.
7DaChipster, I also was so looking forward to the conclusion of Manchester’s Churchill triology. Thanks for the other suggestions.
8Origuy, I also enjoy Tuchman’s books, March of Folly being my favorite. But I’m making a note of A Distant Mirror.
David Halberstam is another good writer about 20th century events/history.
JJ, your commenters are among the best anywhere!
Ooh, books! Loved “A Distant Mirror” and am adding the Manchester book to my list. I cannot recommend Thomas B. Costain’s Plantagenet series highly enough. Hard to find now, “The Conquering Family”, “The Magnificent Century”, “The Three Edwards” and “The Last Plantagenets” are sublime. If anyone finds a complete set, let me know.
9Well, if we’re going to go all Ruling Houses of England up in here, I cannot help but recommend Alison Weir. Although I played Kingmaker a bit as a young nerd, I never understood the Wars of the Roses until I read her book.
I will add Tuchman to MY lists! Thanks, Origuy.
10There was applause when I went to see it, also. I think, however, that by the time you went to see it the locals in “the big city” were all alerted to the fact that Lincoln was a Republican and the evil ones in Congress were all Democrats. They love it that Lincoln was Republican and forget the circumstances of the mega flip flop some decades later.
11From what I’ve read, the movie is ending with audience applause at most, if not all, showings. I’m anxious to go see it and appreciate the review.
12Speaking of great movies, I highly recommend “Life of Pi”. 5 stars.
13daChipster and Austinhatlady, Manchester’s third volume on Churchill WAS finished, by WM’s friend, journalist Paul Reid. Reviewed in the Washington Post this month:
14http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/the-last-lion-winston-spencer-churchill-defender-of-the-realm-1940-1965-by-william-manchester-and-paul-reid/2012/11/17/6a251b26-1478-11e2-ba83-a7a396e6b2a7_story.html
As a friend said, “the movie Lincoln was set in a time long ago when the Republicans were the good guys.”
I read an interview with the historian who was the consultant for the movie. He said they took some of his advice but not all. For example, the roll-call in the Senate was alphabetical rather than by state. (Doing it by state was more dramatic, I think.) He said Mrs. Lincoln wouldn’t have been in the gallery–it would have been scandalous at the time.
15Oh joy joy joy! My Christmas wish lit is complete! Thank you Rhea.
16We had a history professor at one time that said to truly understand the Civil War in this country, “John Brown’s Body” was an essential read. It is poetry, rather than history, but it is still a superb read. I revisited it last year, and loved it as much as ever.
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