Saving Lincoln (2013)

If you don't like this, we can't be friends.

Like the great film, it's made with a great deal of visible affection both in front of and behind the camera.

The best films of this genre always show a path and provide a takeaway for being a better person.

One of the film's great tricks is that, for a time, you think it will go down a rabbit hole of unrealistic glorification.

This is yet another "historical" look at the life of Lincoln (Tom Amandes) as seen through the eyes of Ward Hill Lamon (Lea Coco), his friend and bodyguard. The film starts with their meeting and ends shortly after Lincoln's death.The acting was first and foremost horrible. The reading of the Gettysburg Address was akin to Rosanne Barr performing the National Anthem. The dialogue was unrealistic, at times modern, and mostly fictional. The theological discussion Lincoln has with a former slave had me scratch my head. His kneeling afterwards and belief that he had a divine purpose was Lamon's answer to Herdon's biography which claimed Lincoln was an atheist. I wouldn't put either view into a film.The background was taken from 3D viewmaster pictures and even crowds were still photos with "actors" in front of them. It gave the film a cheap surreal look. Historically I was scratching my head too. Upon their meeting they wanted Hill to perform a song from West Virginia which wasn't a state at that time. The famous picture of Washington which we all looked at in school with its bottom partially burned off from the War of 1812 was fully intact in this film. Edward D. Baker died in Oct. of 1861 but is presented at a time of the announcements of battles well into 1862.There is a constant self glorification of Ward Hill Lamon whose speech was grandiose and yes he was also an Amazing Kreskin at predicting the death of the President. Not an impressive film.

I have seen a variety of films based on the Abraham Lincoln but none were, in my opinion, as amazing as this one. Many had false historical interpretations while this one stuck to the facts. I enjoyed Tom Amandes portrayal of Lincoln and felt he brought a sense of life to our textbooks; we were able to understand better his life story and his many struggles. The film itself had a unique look too. It's black and white photography made the characters become more the center of attention rather than having the audience focus too much on what was happening behind them.(it almost looked like a play was taking place!) This film was emotional not only because it was describing events of the civil war but also in the relationship that existed between Lincoln and Ward Hill Lamon(his bodyguard). I enjoyed learning about Lincoln in the perspective of his bodyguard and feel I have a greater understanding now of his presidency.

I enjoyed the film for its portrayal of President Abraham Lincoln from the perspective of his confidant, Ward Lamon Hill, and the use of the photographs from the Civil War era. The scenes tended to play out so fast that it would at first seem improbable to develop sympathy for the characters, but it turned out that it was not at all the case. I felt that there were many shining moments in the film, especially when you got pulled in by the emotionally captivating speech at the end of the seance. It was probably tough to try to cram President Lincoln's life into a duration of less than 2 hours, but I loved the music and that it was, well, different.President Lincoln has been my favorite historical figure, and I learned so much more about him from watching this film.

I was moved by this film. As someone who has lived in the DC area my entire life, has visited Ford's Theater on numerous occasions, and has been to Gettysburg, Antietam, and other civil war battlefields more times than I can remember, I felt that seeing Tom Amandes' portrayal of Lincoln this evening brought me closer to understanding Lincoln the man than I have ever been. Amandes' Lincoln was not overplayed, but real and genuine. Litvak was bold in creating his Lincoln as a man of faith and emotion, natural charisma and strength. Lincoln's melancholy made him more endearing, not distant. Penelope Ann Miller's Mary Todd was also genuine, a person of real emotion, not the disconnected and distant caricature that she has been portrayed in previous films. Lea Coco was masterful in walking the line between obsessive, monomaniacal protector and best friend of the most indispensable man of his time. No spoiler here, but Coco's finest hour came towards the end of the film in my opinion, when he as Lamon visibly let down his guard for the first time, no longer able to protect his friend. What an amazing piece of art this film is. Seeing the actual images of Civil War soldiers in the hospital behind Lincoln in one scene tapped an emotional well in me as I realized that these were real people, real faces of the men who fought and died for their country, and for this I must say that the Cinecollage method that Litvak has brought to life is a treasure that is capable of connecting us with our history in a way that is unique and of deep value. I applaud the creator and cast for the wonderful film and eagerly await the opportunity to see it again.