Young Mr. Lincoln (1939)

A gentle biopic of the early life and career that established Abraham Lincoln on the road to his place in US history. Henry Fonda plays the naive and deeply principled country lawyer in an engaging, if at times slightly ponderous, fashion - aided well by Marjorie Weaver ("Mary Todd"). His eloquence prevents a lynching and he embarks on his first big legal case in Illinois. John Ford starts this retrospective with a gripping, frequently amusing, court case and what follows emphasises the wit, style and incisive honesty of Lincoln. Spencer Charters ("Judge Bell"); Ward Bond and a typically charismatic performance from Donald Meek as the prosecuting counsel keep this drama interesting. The production is simple, but not basic - and well worth a watch as a drama (not an historical documentary).