my what a director intuition can bring on material that need just the right nudge in the right direction . young mr. lincoln be fill up with some old fashion value and which in retrospect and despite it two dimensional portrayal and be at least more respectably do than one might see in the pap in current cinema . what make it work so extremely well a it do and in all it simplicity and grandeur and be that it a truly great courtroom drama in the guise of a history lesson . we all know of abraham lincoln a the 16th president that do the emancipation and after the civil war get assassinate . but a the lawyer in his early year he be charismatic and funny in the most unexpected place and and a true gentleman . he not some superhero that can do no wrong ( which be fonda only apprehension to the part before sign on ) and but a figure with possible flaw that be surpass by his innate goodness and clear sight of right and wrong . it suffice to say that john ford be exceptional a a storyteller almost without try . actually and it a lie and he do try and but he make it sort of effortless in the studio system while he work in an independent manner while also please simultaneously zanuck and so he be pretty much leave alone to his own succinct practice in edit in camera and and not move it around so a to not waver far off from the story . it this strength of conventional wisdom that somehow work hand in hand with the material and a a kind of companion piece to the full blood americana in 1939 a see in mr. smith go to washington ( only here it the law and not politics ) . fonda be terrific in the lead his first with ford and never let u loose sight of lincoln past the make up and extra boost in the shoe . fonda own personality and in a sense and a it would in grape of wrath and my darling clementine and come out in the character of lincoln . however unlikely it might be and there no one else from this period that could have play him then represent he mature and wise and but have the gumption to prove himself in this case of a convolute he saw that but do she murder case . only in little bit and piece and like that final shot which superimpose lincoln walk down the road with his monument and and a couple of small instance during that big parade scene early on and seem pretty dated . as far a the goal set out with young mr. lincoln and there be all meet by ford and his crew and cast while it not as hokey a one might think go in and and it get a strong balance of humor and genuine pathos .