Tonight's Movie: Abe Lincoln in Illinois (1940) - A Warner Archive Blu-ray Review

Raymond Massey stars as ABE LINCOLN IN ILLNOIS (1940), recently released on Blu-ray by the Warner Archive.

Over the years I've seen Henry Fonda in John Ford's YOUNG MR. LINCOLN (1939) countless times and I also saw the Daniel Day-Lewis LINCOLN (2012), but somehow I had never caught up with ABE LINCOLN IN ILLINOIS, so I was glad to have this opportunity to see it.

Robert E. Sherwood's screenplay is based on an adaptation of his own Pulitzer Prize winning 1938 play, which also starred Massey. (A fun note: John Payne played Abe's oldest son Robert on stage.) The story covers Lincoln's life from the time he was a young man to his election to the Presidency.

The expected story points are all there, though told in a rather different manner than the other films: Abe's romance with doomed Ann Rutledge (Mary Howard) and later marriage to Mary Todd (Ruth Gordon); his quest to educate himself; his somewhat reluctant progression up the political ladder; and his debate with Stephen Douglas (a very good Gene Lockhart). As the movie ends, Abe has boarded a train to Washington after being elected President.

The movie is absorbing enough, with Massey very good as Lincoln, portraying him as simultaneously folksy yet with great stature. That said, I found the movie surprisingly downbeat. To be sure, Lincoln had a challenging life, including the death of his mother when he was young and the early deaths of two of his four sons (a third would die young after his father's passing); and of course we all know the challenges of being President during the Civil War as well as how his life was ended.

It was still a bit of a surprise to me that he's portrayed through most of the movie as a depressed man; for instance, yes, he was elected President at a difficult time in our history, but he doesn't seem to have a glimmer of satisfaction at the public entrusting the role to him. When he makes one of his folksy jokes it's almost a surprise that such a melancholy man has a sense of humor.

And as for Mary, she's an out-and-out shrew who becomes more unbearable the longer the movie goes. Perhaps these portrayals were close to the real people and their problems -- Mary is known to have had poor health and mental issues -- but it gets a bit tiresome watching them for 110 minutes. Gordon was quite fearless playing unlikeable Mary; I would have liked to see the character in a more fully rounded and, yes, sympathetic presentation, but Gordon's take is nothing if not memorable.

The fact the film is as watchable as it is despite two very problematic lead characters is a tribute to the movie's overall craftsmanship, including direction by John Cromwell and cinematography by James Wong Howe. The score was by Roy Webb.

The supporting cast includes Louis Jean Heydt, Howard Da Silva, Elisabeth Risdon, Minor Watson, Alan Baxter, Charles Middleton, Clem Bevans, and many more.

The Warner Archive Blu-ray is a very good print; I didn't think it was as sharp and impressive as the typical Warner Archive Blu-ray, but it's still a fine print with excellent sound.

The sole extra is a Lux Radio Theater presentation from April 22, 1940, starring Raymond Massey, Fay Bainter, and Otto Kruger.

Thanks to the Warner Archive for providing a review copy of this Blu-ray. Warner Archive Blu-rays may be ordered from the Warner Archive Collection Amazon Store or from any online retailers where Blu-rays are sold.

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