Lincoln before Lincoln

[RJNorton]

Thanks to Bob Cook for sending this information:

Lincoln before Lincoln: Early Cinematic Adaptations of the Life of America's Greatest President (Hardcover) – May 6, 2016
by Brian J. Snee (Author)


Remembered as the Savior of the Union, Abraham Lincoln is one of America's most revered presidents. There have been tens of thousands of books published about him since his death, but he has proved to be a surprisingly daunting subject for filmmakers. Despite a wealth of biographical material, relatively few full-length motion pictures have taken the man and his life as a primary subject. In this detailed study, Brian J. Snee provides a sweeping overview of the cinematic representations of the sixteenth president from the silent era up to Steven Spielberg's Lincoln (2012)―a film which, he argues, marks a seismic shift in the way Hollywood presents the Great Emancipator on-screen.

Snee focuses on six of the most popular and influential movies and TV miniseries of the twentieth century to address the life of Abraham Lincoln―The Birth of a Nation (1915), Abraham Lincoln (1930), Young Mr. Lincoln (1939), Abe Lincoln in Illinois (1940), Sandburg's Lincoln (1974–1976), and Gore Vidal's Lincoln (1988). Snee examines how each work has contributed to public memory of the president, addressing issues of production, textual construction, and audience reception, as well as their contemporary historical contexts and underlying cultural theory.

The absence of video and other recording technology during Lincoln's lifetime forever shrouds his mannerisms, thought processes, and interactions with his peers and advisers. That man, Snee argues, is lost to history. This fascinating book offers a revealing and groundbreaking assessment of how Hollywood has imagined and reimagined America's greatest president on-screen, contributing to the popular image and myth of the legendary man.


Brian J. Snee is professor of communication and media at Manhattanville College. He is coeditor of The Rhetoric of the New Political Documentary and Michael Moore and the Rhetoric of Documentary.


Hardcover: 166 pages
Publisher: University Press of Kentucky (May 6, 2016)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0813167477
ISBN-13: 978-0813167473

http://www.amazon.com/Lincoln-before-Cin...an+J.+Snee

[LincolnMan]

Priced at Amazon for new hardcover at $36.30.

[ELCore]

"Sandburg's Lincoln (1974–1976)".

I don't remember that, or ever hearing about that, which is odd, since I graduated from high school in 1975, so I'm old enough. I see that (at least some of) it is on YouTube. Does anybody know if it's any good?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Id3Uq7tlwTc

P.S. Also out on DVD.

http://www.amazon.com/Sandburgs-Lincoln-...004Z2ECX0/

[Gene C]

Not bad, considering it's 40 years old.
Keep in mind it was a made for TV movie (I think) so the production quality is only mediocre. (which is probably why you don't remember hearing about it)
Personally, Hal Holbrook was not one of my favorite Lincoln portrayers.

Thanks for posting the link.

[LincolnMan]

Hal Holbrook captures better than the others how unattractive Mr. Lincoln was. In fact, having seen it a few times I'm always struck by his unattractive features.

[Miss_Bellatrix]

Sounds like an interesting book. Thanks for posting about it, Roger.

I've always wanted to see "Young Mr. Lincoln" but I can't find it on DVD anywhere and it seems to be rarely on TV. My mum frequently checks AMC for me but it hasn't been on yet. Henry Fonda is one of my favourite actors and I'd love to see his portrayal of Lincoln.

I have seen bits of it on YouTube (the scene with Anne Rutledge) and it seems like it might be an alright movie.

[LincolnMan]

I saw it on TMC this year.

[Miss_Bellatrix]

I saw it on TMC this year.

That's what I meant...TCM....not AMC.

And sigh...apparently I missed when it was on...

[LincolnMan]

It was in February because of Lincoln's birthday.

[Gene C]

Is this what you're looking for?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJKWguqabUU

[Eva Elisabeth]

Is this what you're looking for?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJKWguqabUU

That's neat, thanks, Gene!

[RJNorton]

This has been posted before, but this brief scene with the baby carriage, Eddie, and the books is one of my favorites. It is from a 1915 Edison Silent Film with Frank McGlynn as Abraham Lincoln.

[Thomas Kearney]

Is this what you're looking for?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJKWguqabUU

Excellent flick. My dad wrote a stage adaptation in 4th grade but it was never performed. Shame!

[Miss_Bellatrix]

Is this what you're looking for?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJKWguqabUU

YES!! That's it Thank you, Gene!

Thomas, that's cool your dad wrote a stage adaptation! Too bad it didn't get performed.

[Thomas Kearney]

Is this what you're looking for?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJKWguqabUU

YES!! That's it Thank you, Gene!

Thomas, that's cool your dad wrote a stage adaptation! Too bad it didn't get performed.

he was just a kid and felt embarrassed that it would be performed so he threw it in the garbage can.