Abe Lincoln in Illinois

This flick, especially early on, could have been called "Abe Lincoln in Iowa," for the corn grows high in the first couple of reels. It's mostly just silly hagiography as the film recounts Lincoln's early years. Then, something interesting happens: as the character matures, so does the telling of the tale, until you finally get some interesting notes on the man behind the myth and the sad life that was overshadowed by the colossal political achievements. Speaking of which, when the movie gets around to the Lincoln-Douglas debates--presenting Abe's closing argument as a greatest hits mixtape of several of his speeches--the moment transcends an otherwise ho-hum viewing experience, and the timeless words are delivered in an electrifying moment of historical moviemaking. It's not entirely up to snuff, but viewing this film might be worth it just for that one scene alone (not to mention the final, farewell speech at the movie's end). Through such wisdom was a nation held together--and we can only hope its equal will rise again in the hour of need.