Abraham and Mary Lincoln: A House Divided (2001)
NETFLIX SYNOPSIS: An unlikely couple, Abraham Lincoln and Mary Todd came from vastly different backgrounds — he the son of a dirt farmer, she the daughter of wealthy slave owners. This dual biography tells both of their stories, from their childhoods to their marriage, to their years in the White House, touching on their differences of opinion on the Civil War, their marital ups and downs and Mary’s fragile state of mind after Lincoln’s assassination.
REVIEW: This is a 3-disc series. I found it very interesting and very well done. It first was presented as part of the American Experience series on PBS. I highly recommend this DVD set not only for American history buffs but for anyone interested in one of the most heartbreaking and tragic periods in U.S. history.
The narration was excellent and I thought the actors that did the voices for Abraham and Mary Lincoln were very good, especially Holly Hunter as Mary Lincoln.
This series is fascinating and I did learn quite a lot. For instance, I didn’t know that the Republican party was founded by some members of the Whig party, that included Mr. Lincoln, who wished to abolish slavery. Also, I was surprised to see how much Mr. and Mrs. Lincoln were under attack both by the media and public during his time in government; Mrs. Lincoln because of her lavish overspending and Mr. Lincoln for his policies as President.
This series illustrated the personal heartbreaks this couple endured as well as intense pressure they both were under as the President and First Lady. There are also some interesting facts about the Civil War, why some battles were won and some were lost.
All throughout this program, though, you never lose sight of the fact that these two very strong-minded individuals, Abraham and Mary Lincoln, were constantly struggling with their own personal demons while trying to keep their marriage and the United States of America together.
A great series and I’m very glad I watched it.
4.5 stars
Big A
