Lincoln
Movie, 2012, The 2010s, Set in The People's House
Lincoln is #24 of 29 in release order and #24 of 29 in chronological order in the John Williams.
The story
The revealing story of the 16th US President's tumultuous final months in office. In a nation divided by war and the strong winds of change, Lincoln pursues a course of action designed to end the war, unite the country and abolish slavery. With the moral courage and fierce determination to succeed, his choices during this critical moment will change the fate of generations to come.
Lincoln recap
Lincoln (2012) covers January 1865, when Abraham Lincoln pushes the Thirteenth Amendment abolishing slavery through the House before the war ends. Steven Spielberg directs the historical drama, written by Tony Kushner and partly based on Doris Kearns Goodwin's Team of Rivals. Abraham Lincoln (Daniel Day-Lewis) fears the Emancipation Proclamation will not survive the peace, so the amendment must pass now. Secretary of State William Seward (David Strathairn) hires three political operatives, among them W. N. Bilbo (James Spader), to offer jobs to Democrats who lost their seats. To keep conservative Republicans on board, Lincoln lets Francis Preston Blair open peace talks with the Confederacy, which could sink the vote. The radical Thaddeus Stevens (Tommy Lee Jones) tones down his views on racial equality in debate. At home, Mary Todd Lincoln (Sally Field) grieves a dead son and fears for Robert Todd Lincoln (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), who wants to enlist. The People's House, a quiet orchestral piece, carries the film's talk of democracy; Lincoln follows Munich and precedes The Force Awakens.
Lincoln ending explained
Lincoln ends with a flashback to Lincoln delivering his second inaugural address, after his death from an assassin's bullet. The amendment passes by two votes once Lincoln denies, with careful wording, that peace envoys are in Washington. Stevens goes home to his housekeeper and partner, Lydia Smith. The peace talks fail, Lee surrenders, and Lincoln leaves for Ford's Theatre; his son Tad hears the news at another theatre. Day-Lewis won his third Best Actor Academy Award for the role.
Post-credits scenes
No. Lincoln has no mid- or post-credits scene.
Where to watch Lincoln
Lincoln isn't on a US streaming service right now. You can rent or buy it on Amazon, Apple TV, and Google Play.
Ratings
IMDb 7.3/10, Rotten Tomatoes 90%
Where it fits
- Release order: after Munich, before Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
- Chronological order: after Munich, before Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
Cast
- Daniel Day-Lewis as Abraham Lincoln
- Sally Field as Mary Todd Lincoln
- David Strathairn as William Seward
- Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Robert Lincoln
- James Spader as W.N. Bilbo
- Hal Holbrook as Preston Blair
- Tommy Lee Jones as Thaddeus Stevens
- John Hawkes as Robert Latham
- Jackie Earle Haley as Alexander Stephens
- Bruce McGill as Edwin Stanton
- Tim Blake Nelson as Richard Schell
- Joseph Cross as John Hay
Directed by Steven Spielberg.