As the above quote by Mary Lincoln illustrates, this film is full of accurate Lincoln history (he was offered a federal job in the Oregon Territory after losing his seat in Congress, but declined it.) While director D.W. Griffith is often portrayed as a racist due to his earlier BIRTH OF A NATION, one must remember that he was a product of his time and of his southern roots. His scene of General Lee nearly overcome with fatigue in his tent near the end of the war after saving the life of a Union spy indicates that he wanted to show the humanity of the Confederacy's leader was no less than that of Lincoln. But he merely uses this to show that the Confederate struggle had its good points, which takes nothing away from the Lincoln story. It's clear that Griffith must have greatly admired Lincoln and he does a masterful job in bringing him to life. His images of Lincoln, Lee and other historical figures are perfectly crafted,by his use of makeup and finding actors to play those parts. His casting of Walter Huston in the title role was a stroke of brilliance, and his First Lady on screen was played equally well. It's not Griffith's best work by a long shot, but he proved he could have been a capable director of talking pictures if he'd been given the chance. Sadly, he only made one more film after this. While he probably deserves more acclaim for his pioneering work in the film industry, this film is well written by Pulitzer Prize winner Stephen Vincent Benet and directed by one of the true giants of the silver screen. As a historical writer, I heartily recommend it as a fine way to learn more about our 16th President while enjoying the work of a true master filmmaker. Dale Roloff