Abe Lincoln in Illinois (film)
Abe Lincoln in Illinois is a 1940 biographical-drama film that depicts the life of Abraham Lincoln from his departure from Kentucky until his election as president of the United States. In the UK, the film is known by the alternate title Spirit of the People. The film was adapted by Grover Jones and Robert E. Sherwood from Sherwood's 1938 Pulitzer Prize-winning play of the same name. It was directed by John Cromwell.
| Abe Lincoln in Illinois | |
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Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | John Cromwell |
| Written by | Grover Jones |
| Screenplay by | Robert E. Sherwood |
| Based on | Abe Lincoln in Illinois 1938 play by Robert E. Sherwood |
| Produced by | Max Gordon |
| Starring | Raymond Massey Gene Lockhart Ruth Gordon Mary Howard Minor Watson Alan Baxter |
| Cinematography | James Wong Howe |
| Edited by | George Hively |
| Music by | Roy Webb |
Production company | RKO Radio Pictures |
| Distributed by | RKO Radio Pictures |
Release date |
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Running time | 110 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $1,004,000 |
| Box office | $666,000 |
The film stars Raymond Massey and Howard da Silva, who reprised their roles from the original Broadway production of Abe Lincoln in Illinois, playing Abe Lincoln and Jack Armstrong respectively. Herbert Rudley, who had portrayed Seth Gale in the play, also repeated his role in the film version. The film also marks the screen debut of Ruth Gordon in the role of Mary Todd Lincoln.
The film received Academy Award nominations for Best Actor in a Leading Role (Raymond Massey) and Best Cinematography, Black-and-White (James Wong Howe).