CBS will air a sneak peek at Steven Spielberg's new biopic 'Lincoln'
It鈥檚 the story of an embattled president trying to end one of the country鈥檚 most destructive wars while bargaining with Congress to see through one of the most transformative pieces of legislation in history.
It鈥檚 also one of the most anticipated movies of the season 鈥� and we鈥檙e all getting a sneak peek this Sunday.
CBS鈥檚 Lesley Stahl interviews Steven Spielberg on his upcoming film, 鈥淟incoln,鈥� a dramatic look at a four-month period in the life of the sixteenth president. The interview, which airs Sunday, Oct. 21 at 7:30 PM EST, also contains the first clips from Spielberg鈥檚 film.
鈥淚鈥檝e always wanted to tell a story about Lincoln,鈥� Spielberg tells Stahl in an interview preview released by . 鈥淚 saw a paternal father figure, someone who was completely, stubbornly committed to his ideals, his vision. I think the film is very relevant for today. It鈥檚 about leadership.鈥�
鈥淟incoln鈥� is loosely based on historian Doris Kearns Goodwin鈥檚 2005 biography, 鈥�Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln.鈥� (Incidentally, it鈥檚 also the first read on CBS This Morning鈥檚 book club, 鈥淐BS This Morning Reads.)
Spielberg tells Stahl 鈥淟incoln,鈥� which stars Daniel Day-Lewis as Lincoln, is unlike any movie he has ever done, with nary an action scene or special effect.
鈥淚 knew I could do the action in my sleep at this point in my career,鈥� Spielberg, of 鈥�Jaws鈥� and 鈥�Jurassic Park鈥� fame, told CBS. 鈥淚n my life, the action doesn鈥檛... attract me anymore.鈥�
Instead, the movie centers on the political process Lincoln and his 鈥渢eam of rivals鈥� engaged in to achieve some of the country鈥檚 greatest accomplishments, including Edwin Stanton, Salmon Chase, William Seward, and Edward Bates. It鈥檚 unique in that it is a multiple biography that profiles each of the key players in the team that led the country though one of its greatest crises.
The film covers a four-month period of Lincoln鈥檚 presidency 鈥渋n which he is absorbed with trying to get Congress to pass the 13th Amendment abolishing slavery,鈥� according to CBS. 鈥淚t follows the political process closely and accurately portrays a drama few have heard about from the last four months of Lincoln鈥檚 life.鈥�
According to early reports, it鈥檚 as deeply personal as it is political. 鈥淟incoln鈥� 鈥渆xplores the drama and darkness inside the head of one of history鈥檚 greatest figures,鈥� writes CBS.
鈥淚 think there鈥檚 a sense of darkness... with him,鈥� Spielberg tells Stahl in the upcoming 鈥�60 Minutes鈥� interview. 鈥淗e was living with two agendas, both of which had to do with healing... first, to abolish slavery, end the war. But he also had his personal life and I think there鈥檚 darkness in there.鈥�
In the interview, Spielberg also reflects on his own personal life and childhood, which is reflected in this film. CBS has said Stahl will also talk about Spielberg鈥檚 childhood with his parents and promises a tantalizing time: 鈥淚n a fascinating discussion of Spielberg鈥檚 childhood, his parents reveal a truth even their son didn鈥檛 know for many years.鈥�
Do we need another book or film exploring Lincoln鈥檚 life? 鈥淟incoln鈥� is the latest in a spate of recent books and films about the sixteenth president and the latest example of the nation鈥檚 Lincoln-mania. (Bill O鈥橰eilly鈥檚 鈥淜illing Lincoln鈥� is one prominent example.) Spielberg is betting Americans want more. As those countless books and movies on Lincoln鈥檚 life attest, Americans are fascinated by the life of the nation鈥檚 sixteenth president, a never-fading passion that perhaps expresses our need to see shining examples during our own dark times, personal and political.
Husna Haq is a Monitor correspondent.
