Daniel Day-Lewis, the two-time Academy Award winner, brings his formidable acting skills to the lead role of Lincoln. He is surrounded by what has been described as the best collection of actors that Spielberg has ever cast: Sally Fields, Tommy Lee Jones, Hal Holbrook, David Strathairn, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, John Hawkes and many other Hollywood luminaries.
The script is based on the bestselling, non-fiction book “Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln.” Written by Pulitzer Prize-winner Doris Kearns Goodwin, the book examines Lincoln’s leadership style and the way in which he won over his political rivals and convinced them to serve in his cabinet. It is a sign of Lincoln’s political genius that he looked past their attacks on him and surrounded himself with the most capable men. As he famously said, “I destroy my enemies when I make them my friends.”
Though the film contains some battle scenes, it is essentially a character study. The portrayal of Lincoln, a backwoods lawyer who evolved into a commanding national leader, would challenge the abilities of any actor. But Day-Lewis seems to have been destined to play this role. Photos of a bearded, lanky Lewis shot in and around the movie set in Virginia show him to be the living image of our nation’s 16th president. Known for the way he immerses himself in a role, Lewis is certain to bring the same nuanced, gritty realism to this film that he brought to his other award-winning performances in films like “My Left Foot, “The Gangs of New York” and “There Will Be Blood.”
In addition to a star-studded cast, Spielberg’s film draws on the talents of some of filmdom’s best writers. Doris Kearns Goodwin collaborated with Tony Kushner (Munich), Oscar-nominee John Logan (Gladiator, The Aviator) and Paul Webb.
Filmmakers have been focusing on Lincoln’s character since 1908. At least 19 feature-length films have dealt with Lincoln, the man. There have also been numerous documentaries, mini-series and countless books as well as Civil War web sites such as The US Civil War.Info. The creative output is sure to swell in 2012 as the nation pauses to reflect on the 150th anniversary of the period of time brought to life in this film. No doubt, Spielberg’s “Lincoln” will shed new light on the character of the man who led this nation through its darkest hours.