Vice-president Andrew Johnson (Van Heflin) assumes the helm after Lincoln is assassinated and faces impeachment as a result of his reconciliation policies towards the vanquished Confederacy. Typical of Hollywood 'biographies', the story deviates from the truth when convenient for the plot (or the messaging - this film was made early in WW2 and emphasises the need for American unity in times of crisis). Having scant knowledge of the post-bellum American politics of the late 1860s I found the film interesting but otherwise slow and underwhelming. Lionel Barrymore is quite good as Johnson's nemesis Thaddeus Stevens and Ruth Hussey does a creditable job portraying wife and first lady Eliza McCardle Johnson as she ages across the story arc. Johnson is considered one of the worst presidents but in 1942 there was little inclination in Hollywood to highlight the flaws and weaknesses of former Commanders-in-Chief.