John Ford + Henry Fonda + Abe Lincoln = An American Folktale
Young Mr. Lincoln (1939) is a lyrical, poetic and satisfyingly cinematic biopic about Abraham Lincoln as a young adult. It was masterfully directed by John Ford, and Henry Fonda in the title role makes Lincoln seem both human and larger than life. On the surface, the film seems not only uncomplicated, but even corny. However, if you pause to think about the movie, it's not so easy to interpret.
The story is set in 1830s Sangamon County, Illinois, where Lincoln is in his twenties and struggling to make his way in the world. But Ford had little interest in being particularly realistic or historically accurate; instead he was telling us one of his American parables. He shows us small fictionalized incidents in young Abe's life that give us some idea of how Lincoln later became an iconic figure.
Henry Fonda gives an unforgettable performance as the obscure twenty-something who would go on to greatness. A prosthetic nose and makeup help Fonda capture the right look, and his Midwestern way of talking is a natural fit. The actor wears no beard, which is consistent with his character's youthfulness.
Aside from Fonda, the names and faces of most of the film's cast members are no longer familiar to viewers. An exception, however, is Ward Bond, whose character, John Palmer Cass, gives some important testimony about a murder. In the movie, Abe gets raucous laughter out of the courtroom spectators by referring to this character as Jack Cass.
Abe in Springfield
Young Mr. Lincoln depicts Abe as a loner who is too shy to be much of a lady's man. But there are two women who catch his eye—first the sweet and pretty Ann Rutledge and later the forward and patrician Mary Todd. History tells us that Abe and Mary eventually married, but the movie shows their relationship as starting off problematic.
Most of the film is set in Springfield, Illinois, which Ford portrays as being a rough-and-tumble town filled mostly with bumpkins. Lincoln conceals his high level of intelligence so he can fit in better with the ordinary local folk. But the town does have a small upper crust, seen at a fancy supper and dance. This is Mary Todd's social set.
The Beginning of a Pilgrimage to Greatness
Ford spends considerable time showing his version of Springfield circa 1837 celebrating the Fourth of July. There are down-home events like pie judging and rail-splitting, but the most enigmatic in terms of story is the tug-of-war. In a memorable scene, Abe brings the tug-of-war to an abrupt end by using a horse-drawn wagon to pull the opposing team into a puddle. Is Ford telling us that Lincoln is a man who does not always play by the rules? Students of history may see this as prefiguring that years later Lincoln would suspend the fundamental American right of habeas corpus.
The last part of the film centers around a parody of a trial—a capital punishment case where a drunk loafer is seated as a juror and the judge snoozes during the prosecutor's opening. Abe is the defense lawyer, and he proves to be highly skillful at manipulating people. Ford's intention here is to further develop Lincoln's character while showing just how badly the citizenry needs a good leader.
An Informative Documentary on John Ford
The Criterion Collection two-disc DVD set provides a 42-minute documentary titled "Omnibus: John Ford, Part One," which originally aired on the BBC in 1992. This covers Ford's career only up through his World War II military service, but I found it well worth watching. The main thing I learned was that Ford spent roughly 15 years doing silent films, which must have honed his skills as a visual storyteller. I realized that some of the talkies for which he is still famous—I'm thinking particularly of The Grapes of Wrath (1940) and How Green Was My Valley (1941), both of which won him Best Director Oscars—would have worked as silent melodramas. The documentary also made me understand how difficult Ford was to interview. When an interviewer from Cinéastes de notre temps asks him, "What did you think you would achieve when you made your first picture?", Ford crustily replies "I thought I would achieve a check."
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