Lincoln is a 2012 American historical drama film directed and produced by Steven Spielberg, starring Daniel Day-Lewis as United States President Abraham Lincoln and Sally Field as Mary Todd Lincoln. The film is based in part on Doris Kearns Goodwin's biography of Lincoln, Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln, and covers the final four months of Lincoln's life, focusing on the President's efforts in January 1865 to have the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution passed by the United States House of Representatives. Lincoln begins a year before the end of the civil war with the movie's only battle scene. It's a minute of the bloody, hand-to-hand combat at Jenkins' Ferry, Arkansas. Then two black soldiers…show more content… With the 13th Amendment, slaves would be freed of their unpaid work and would now have to be compensated for their time and would cause many people to lose money. Of course such an immense decision to change the entire culture of the country would be hated by a majority of the people. President Lincoln felt strongly about the issue and was looking at the big picture of the country, not the present, which is why he is considered one of the best presidents of all time. Being a leader means not always making the popular decision. It’s making the hard decisions that are not always the popular one, but the one that will directly or indirectly benefit, in President Lincoln’s case, the country as a whole. Even in today’s society there is still racism and controversy between ethnicities. Until the 1950s, not too long ago, there was still segregation and blacks were not looked at as equals. After watching this movie, these themes really stood out and hit home about how far the country has come since President Lincoln made one of the most historical decisions of all time. His leadership skills are evident throughout the course of the movie by being able to sway the decisions of both parties into standing by his decision and believing in him that the 13th Amendment was the right thing. I would absolutely recommend this movie to everyone, young or old,
