Monday, December 9, 2013

Lincoln 2012 Spielberg, Daniel Day-Lewis

My second view of this fine film. Lincoln is not an idealist, but a pragmatic man of action, who, though clear about his inner moral compass, is committed to victory and the vow of securing justice, rather than any abstract principle. What drives him is no obsession with dying for some cause (though he did), but a humane commitment to victory against suffering, springing not only from slavery, but also war.The film is about how he resorts to subterfuge and manouver to pass the legislation to abolish slavery forever.  However he does state his ideology as based on the "axiom" of "equality". A spellbinder.
Old Review
A O Scott:"......this is, in other words, less a biopic than a political thriller, a civics lesson that is energetically staged and alive with moral energy.......“Lincoln” is a rough and noble democratic masterpiece — an omen, perhaps, that movies for the people shall not perish from the earth.......Go see this movie. Take your children, even though they may occasionally be confused or fidgety. Boredom and confusion are also part of democracy, after all. “Lincoln” is a rough and noble democratic masterpiece — an omen, perhaps, that movies for the people shall not perish from the earth."

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