Abe Lincoln in Illinois (1940)

Abe Lincoln in Illinois is a very worthy film, with an exceptional performance by Raymond Massey in the title role. It's a very fine film and well worth watching -- and yet, it somehow falls just a trifle short of being the great film that it should be. It's hard to say exactly why this is so. Certainly there are some problems with the screenplay, notably in the manner in which many of the supporting characters are given short shrift. Everyone aside from Lincoln is fairly one-dimensional, although the incredible Ruth Gordon as Mary Todd Lincoln and the very good Gene Lockhart as Stephen Douglas don't let that get in their way. But this by itself shouldn't really matter so much under the circumstances. The bigger problem seems to be more intangible; the bits and pieces of the story are all there, and they're put together in a logical and involving manner, but the whole somehow comes up lacking a bit. Of course, highlights like the Lincoln-Douglas debate sequence make up for this lack, and Massey's nuanced portrayal -- capturing both the exuberance and the melancholy, the simplicity and the complexity of the man -- is worth the price of admission by itself. James Wong Howe's expert cinematography also is a bonus, and John Cromwell's direction is very smooth, if occasionally a bit short on inspiration. Despite its little flaws, it's an engaging, often very moving and exciting tribute to a great American hero. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide