Young Mr. Lincoln (1939)

Director:

John Ford

Writer:

Lamar Trotti (screenplay)

Release Date:

9 June 1939 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

The story of Abraham Lincoln that has NEVER been told!

Plot:

A fictionalized account of the early life of the American president as a young lawyer facing his greatest court case.

Plot Keywords:

Springfield Illinois | Murder | Illinois | Abraham Lincoln | Lawyer

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 1 win

Cast

Henry Fonda	...	Abraham Lincoln
Alice Brady	...	Abigail Clay
Marjorie Weaver	...	Mary Todd
Arleen Whelan	...	Sarah Clay
Eddie Collins	...	Efe Turner
Pauline Moore	...	Ann Rutledge
Richard Cromwell	...	Matt Clay
Donald Meek	...	Prosecutor John Felder
Judith Dickens	...	Carrie Sue
Eddie Quillan	...	Adam Clay
Spencer Charters	...	Judge Herbert A. Bell
Ward Bond	...	John Palmer Cass
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Tiny Jones	...	(scenes deleted) (as Elizabeth Jones)
Eddy Waller	...	Father (scenes deleted)
Clarence Wilson	...	Dr. Mason (scenes deleted)
Ernie Adams	...	Man with Lynch Mob (uncredited)
Sam Ash	...	Extra Dancing at Party (uncredited)
Arthur Aylesworth	...	New Salem Townsman (uncredited)
Virginia Brissac	...	Peach Pie Baker (uncredited)
Paul E. Burns	...	Loafer (uncredited)
George Chandler	...	Loafer (uncredited)
Cliff Clark	...	Sheriff Gil Billings (uncredited)
Frank Dae	...	(uncredited)
Francis Ford	...	Sam Boone (uncredited)
Harold Goodwin	...	Jeremiah Carter (uncredited)
Charles Halton	...	Hawthorne (uncredited)
Herbert Heywood	...	Tug-o'-War Contest Official (uncredited)
Robert Homans	...	Mr. Clay (uncredited)
Dickie Jones	...	Adam Clay as a Boy (uncredited)
Jack Kelly	...	Matt Clay as a Boy (uncredited)
Fred Kohler Jr.	...	Scrub White (uncredited)
Kay Linaker	...	Mrs. Edwards (uncredited)
Robert Lowery	...	Juror Bill Killian (uncredited)
Jim Mason	...	Juror (uncredited)
Louis Mason	...	Court Clerk (uncredited)
Edwin Maxwell	...	John T. Stuart (uncredited)
Sylvia McClure	...	Baby Clay (uncredited)
Ivor McFadden	...	Juror (uncredited)
Tom McGuire	...	Bailiff (uncredited)
Dave Morris	...	Loafer (uncredited)
Frank Orth	...	Loafer (uncredited)
Jack Pennick	...	Big Buck Troop (uncredited)
Steven Randall	...	Juror (uncredited)
Russell Simpson	...	Woolridge (uncredited)
Milburn Stone	...	Stephen A. Douglas (uncredited)
Charles Tannen	...	Ninian Edwards (uncredited)
Harry Tyler	...	Barber (uncredited)
Dorothy Vaughan	...	Apple Pie Baker (uncredited)
Billy Watson	...	Boy on Right of Bean Shooter (uncredited)
Delmar Watson	...	Admiring Boy in New Salem (uncredited)

Directed by
John Ford

Writing credits
Lamar Trotti		(screenplay)

Produced by
Kenneth Macgowan	....	associate producer
Darryl F. Zanuck	....	producer

Original Music by
Alfred Newman
David Buttolph		(uncredited)
Louis Silvers		(uncredited)
Paul Van Loan		(uncredited)

Cinematography by
Bert Glennon
Arthur C. Miller		(uncredited)

Film Editing by
Walter Thompson
Robert Parrish		(uncredited)

Art Direction by
Richard Day
Mark-Lee Kirk

Set Decoration by
Thomas Little

Costume Design by
Royer

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Wingate Smith	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Sound Department
Eugene Grossman	....	sound
Roger Heman Sr.	....	sound (as Roger Heman)
Robert Parrish	....	sound effects editor (uncredited)

Stunts
Yakima Canutt	....	stunts (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Sam Benson	....	wardrobe (uncredited)

Music Department
Louis Silvers	....	musical director (uncredited)

Other crew
Rosemary Benét	....	poet: poem "Nancy Hanks"

Production Companies

• Cosmopolitan Productions (for)
• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Distributors

• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation (1939) (USA) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox (1939) (France) (theatrical) (as Les Productions Fox-Europa)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• CBS/Fox (????) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Criterion Collection, The (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Key Video (video)
• Media Cooperation One (MC-One) (2005) (Germany) (DVD)

Runtime:

100 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Certification:

Finland:S | USA:Approved (PCA #5216)

Filming Locations:

Sacramento, California, USA

Company:

Cosmopolitan Productions

Trivia:

John Ford and producer Darryl F. Zanuck fought an extended battle over control of the film. Ford even had unused takes of the film destroyed so the studio could not insert them into the movie. One scene that Ford insisted on cutting was a scene where Lincoln met his future assassin, a very young John Wilkes Booth.

Quotes:

Abe Lincoln: [cross-examining Cass] J. Palmer Cass.
John Palmer Cass: Yes, sir.
Abe Lincoln: What's the "J" stand for?
John Palmer Cass: John.
Abe Lincoln: Anyone ever call you Jack?
John Palmer Cass: Yeah, but...
Abe Lincoln: Why "J. Palmer Cass?" Why not "John P. Cass?"
John Palmer Cass: Well, I...
Abe Lincoln: Does "J. Palmer Cass" have something to hide?
John Palmer Cass: No.
[...]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Fonda on Fonda (1992) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Turkey in the Straw

Authentic Americana

The early career of Abe Lincoln is beautifully presented by Ford. Not that anyone alive has seen footage of the real Lincoln, but Fonda, wearing a fake nose, is uncanny as Lincoln, with the voice, delivery, walk, and other mannerisms - exactly as one would imagine Lincoln to have been. Ford, in the first of three consecutive films he made with Fonda, is at the top of his form, perfectly evoking early 19th century America. The story focuses on a pair accused of murder that Lincoln defends and the courtroom scenes are quite well done. The supporting cast includes many of Ford's regulars. This was Alice Brady's last film, as she died months after its release.