History Film / Lincoln

** Abe and Mary-Todd have a heated argument in which they speak of Mary-Todd possibly being thrown into the madhouse because of her grieving processes. This is exactly what her son did to her not long after Abe's death.

* WarIsHell: Abraham Lincoln takes his oldest son to a vet hospital to try to talk him out of enlisting. The young man nearly cracks when sees some orderlies pushing a wheelbarrow dripping blood to [[spoiler:a hole where they are dumping and burying multiple amputated human limbs by the dozens]].

* SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism: This film is about Honest Abe, but he is the one who orders his Secretary of State to get professional lobbyists to wheel and deal with patronage appointments as much they can to secure the votes necessary to get the 13th Amendment passed.

* SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism: This film is about Honest Abe, but he is the one who orders his Secretary of State to get professional lobbyists to weal and deal with patronage appointments as much they can to secure the votes necessary to get the 13th Amendment passed.

* ShownTheirWork: Those unfamiliar with Lincoln family history may do a double take to see that Robert Todd Lincoln (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is present at the surrender at Appomattox Court House. Robert was in fact actually there and not a ThrowItIn by the filmmakers.

''Film/{{Lincoln}}'' is an upcoming {{Biopic}} of the [[AbrahamLincoln 16th President of the United States]], directed by Creator/StevenSpielberg and written by [[Theatre/AngelsInAmerica Tony]] [[{{Film/Munich}} Kushner]], based on the acclaimed biography ''Team of Rivals'' by Doris Kearns Goodwin. It stars Creator/DanielDayLewis as Lincoln, Sally Field as Mary Todd Lincoln, and has a supporting cast that includes TommyLeeJones, {{Joseph Gordon-Levitt}}, David Strathairn, and James Spader.

* BadassBoast: "I am the President of the United States, clothed in immense power!" Yes, that is an actual Lincoln quote.

** Arguably, Tommy Lee Jones as Rep. Thaddeus Stevens (R-Pa.), due to his performance bordering on LargeHam and on how Stevens is remembered.

* ShownTheirWork: Those unfamiliar with Lincoln family history may do a double take to see that Robert Todd Lincoln (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is present at the surrender at Appomattox Court House. He was in fact actually there and not a ThrowItIn by the filmmakers.

* ShownTheirWork: Those unfamiliar with Lincoln family history may do a double take to see that Robert Todd Lincoln (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is present at the surrender at Appomattox Court House. In real life, he was in fact actually there and not a ThrowItIn by the filmmakers.

* RomanAClef: The names of the Representatives who voted against the 13th Amendment were changed for the film. StevenSpielberg said this was done out of respect for the families.

* AllStarCast: Though more of the HeyItsThatGuy character actor variety than the A-list star variety.

* AllStarCast: Though more of the HeyItsThatGuy character actor variety than the A-list star variety

* DevelopmentHell: This movie has been in various stages of production for over 10 years.

* CastingGag: Possibly. Hal Holbrook, who plays Francis Preston Blair, is well-known for his Emmy-winning portrayals of Lincoln in TV miniseries such as ''Sandburg's Lincoln'' and ''North and South''.

Set during the last four months of Lincoln's life, the film's main focus is on Lincoln's attempts to end the [[TheAmericanCivilWar Civil War]] and pass the 13th Amendment, thereby abolishing slavery. This is much harder than it sounds, due to the many political division not just in the country at the time, but also in Lincoln's own cabinet, which consists mostly of Lincoln's own political rivals.

''Film/{{Lincoln}}'' is an upcoming {{Biopic}} of the [[AbrahamLincoln 16th President of the United States]], directed by Creator/StevenSpielberg and written by [[Series/AngelsInAmerica Tony]] [[{{Film/Munich}} Kushner]], based on the acclaimed biography ''Team of Rivals'' by Doris Kearns Goodwin. It stars Creator/DanielDayLewis as Lincoln, Sally Field as Mary Todd Lincoln, and has a supporting cast that includes TommyLeeJones, {{Joseph Gordon-Levitt}}, David Strathairn, and James Spader.

''Film/{{Lincoln}}'' is an upcoming {{Biopic}} of the [[AbrahamLincoln 16th President of the United States]], directed by CreatorStevenSpielberg and written by [[Series/AngelsInAmerica Tony]] [[{{Film/Munich}} Kushner]], based on the acclaimed biography ''Team of Rivals'' by Doris Kearns Goodwin. It stars Creator/DanielDayLewis as Lincoln, Sally Field as Mary Todd Lincoln, and has a supporting cast that includes TommyLeeJones, {{Joseph Gordon-Levitt}}, David Strathairn, and James Spader.

''Film/{{Lincoln}}'' is an upcoming {{Biopic}} of the [[AbrahamLincoln 16th President of the United States]], directed by StevenSpielberg and written by [[AngelsInAmerica Tony]] [[{{Munich}} Kushner]], based on the acclaimed biography ''Team of Rivals'' by Doris Kearns Goodwin. It stars DanielDayLewis as Lincoln, Sally Field as Mary Todd Lincoln, and has a supporting cast that includes TommyLeeJones, JosephGordonLevitt, David Strathairn, and James Spader.

Set during the last four months of Lincoln's life, the film's main focus is on Lincoln's attempts to end the Civil War and pass the 13th Amendment, thereby abolishing slavery. This is much harder than it sounds, due to the many political division not just in the country at the time, but also in Lincoln's own cabinet, which consists mostly of Lincoln's own political rivals.

* FakeAmerican: Irish DanielDayLewis and Brits Jared Harris, Lee Pace, and David Oyelowo all play Americans.
* HilariousInHindsight: In ''GangsOfNewYork'', DDL played Bill the Butcher, a crime lord who was vehemently anti-Lincoln, and is seen throwing a knife at a Lincoln campaign poster on Election Day. Also, his character's main rival in that film was played by LiamNeeson (see WhatCouldHaveBeen).

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: LiamNeeson was attached to play Lincoln through most of the film's development, but dropped out in January 2010 believing he had become too old to play the part.

* HilariousInHindsight: In ''GangsOfNewYork'', DDL played Bill the Butcher, a crime lord who was vehemently anti-Lincoln, and is seen throwing a knife at a Lincoln campaign poster on Election Day. Also, his character's main rival in that film was played by LiamNeeson (see WhatMightHaveBeen).

* WhatMightHaveBeen: LiamNeeson was attached to play Lincoln through most of the film's development, but dropped out in January 2010 believing he had become too old to play the part.

''Film/{{Lincoln}}'' is an upcoming {{Biopic}} of the [[AbrahamLincoln 16th President of the United States]], directed by StevenSpielberg and written by [[AngelsInAmerica Tony]] [[{{Munich}} Kushner]], based on the acclaimed biography ''Team of Rivals'' by Doris Kearns Goodwin. It stars DanielDayLewis as Lincoln, SallyField as Mary Todd Lincoln, and has a supporting cast that includes TommyLeeJones, JosephGordonLevitt, David Strathairn, and Bruce McGill.