A family traveling through New Salem in their covered wagon need groceries from Abe Lincoln's store and the only thing of value they have that he'll take in exchange is a law book. He talks about his ambitions with a young woman. She dies. He moves to nearby Springfield, the new state capital, and opens a law office with a friend. He meets a young woman visiting from Kentucky, who wasn't born in a log cabin, Mary Todd. Then when a man is killed at a 4th of July picnic he stops a lynching by telling the angry mob he really needs these clients for his first real case.
Everytime I see a Henry Fonda movie I enjoy watching the man's work more. I haven't seen many of his films (this film, THE GRAPES OF WRATH, 12 ANGRY MEN, THE LONGEST DAY, and BATTLE OF THE BULGE), but he continues to make me a fan. Fonda hit a homerun with this role. When I think of Abraham Lincoln, I think of Fonda's Lincoln. A quiet gentleman, who wasn't flashy or loud but respected by all. He also favored him very much visually. An interesting look into Lincoln's early life that I wasn't to aware of. Now I'm looking even more forward to Steven Spielberg's 2009 film LINCOLN
