Abe Lincoln in Illinois (film)

Abe Lincoln in Illinois is a 1940 film in which humble Abraham Lincoln gains the respect of his Illinois neighbors, growing in stature and respect until he is elected President in 1860 and departs for Washington.
 * Directed by John Cromwell. Written by Grover Jones and Robert E. Sherwood, adapted from Sherwood's play.

Abraham Lincoln

 * [discussing why he can't face Mary Todd before his marriage to her] I'd have to tell her that I have hatred for her infernal ambition. That I don't want to be ridden and driven onward and upward through life with her whip bashing me and her spurs digging in me. If her poor little soul craves importance in life let her marry Stephen Douglas. He's ambitious too. I want only to be left alone.


 * [to Billy Herndon] Careful. Billy, you've got great fires in yuh, but you're puttin' 'em out fast.


 * A house divided against itself cannot stand. The government cannot endure permanently half slave and half free.

Others

 * Mentor Graham: Well, Abe, there are always two occupations open to those who have failed at everything else: school teaching and politics.


 * Lincoln's Cook: President of the United States! If they get him back there into Washington, he won't ever come out alive.


 * Jack Armstrong: [to the crowd] I tell you, you all ought to listen to the judge. He got a round belly but a level head. No one can do nothin' with me without lickin' me first!

Dialogue

 * Sarah Bush Lincoln: Wherever you go, whatever you do, you remember what the Good Book Says: "The world passeth, but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever."
 * Abraham Lincoln: I'll remember, maw.


 * Ninian Edwards: [after he withdraws from politics] What'll yuh do, Abe?
 * Abraham Lincoln: Judge Stuart's offered me a chance to work in his law office in Springfield. Course I don't know much about the law, but there's one thing I've learned here in politics... that ignorance is no obstacle to advancement. In fact, in some cases it's quite an advantage.


 * Aide to Stephen Douglas: You don't mean to say you're afraid of Abe Lincoln. Why, the country doesn't know him!
 * Stephen Douglas: Maybe the country doesn't... but I do.


 * Mr. Crimmin: Gentlemen, I may not know as much as you about economics and theology, but I do know politics and what is the essential quality that we demand in our candidate. It is simply this: that he be able to get himself elected.
 * Politician: Well, there's something in what you say.
 * Politician: And do you think he can do it?
 * Mr. Crimmin: I tell you, gentlemen, in that uncouth rail splitter you may observe one of the slickest, smoothest politicians that ever hoodwinked a yokel mob.


 * Abraham Lincoln: Why do you take every opportunity you can to make a public fool out of me and yourself? It's bad enough when you act like that in the privacy of our own home, but here in front of people! You're not to do that again, do you hear? You're never to do that again!
 * Mary Todd Lincoln: You never spoke to me like that before. You lost your temper, Abe... you've never done that before.
 * Abraham Lincoln: I'm sorry. I still think you should go home rather than stay here and endure the strain of this Death Watch.
 * Mary Todd Lincoln: This is the night I dreamed about when I was a child... when I was an excited young girl and all the gay young gentlemen of Springfield were courting me... and I fell in love with the least likely of them. This is the night I'm waiting to hear that my husband is become President of the United States... and even if he does, it's ruined for me. It's too late.


 * Mary Todd Lincoln: [Contemptuously as she hears crowd noises from outside] Stephen Douglas has arrived. Listen to them cheering for him!
 * Abraham Lincoln: They ought to cheer. He paid 'em enough for it.


 * Mentor Graham: Abe carried New Salem by 205 votes to 3.
 * Jack Armstrong: My boys are out tryin' to find the 3 skunks who voted wrong.

Cast

 * Raymond Massey — Abraham Lincoln
 * Gene Lockhart — Stephen A. Douglas
 * Ruth Gordon — Mary Todd Lincoln
 * Mary Howard de Liagre — Ann Rutledge
 * Minor Watson — Joshua Speed
 * Alan Baxter — Billy Herndon
 * Harvey Stephens — Ninian Edwards
 * Howard Da Silva — Jack Armstrong
 * Dorothy Tree — Elizabeth Edwards
 * Aldrich Bowker — Judge Bowling Green


 * Maurice Murphy — John McNeil
 * Louis Jean Heydt — Mentor Graham
 * Clem Bevans — Ben Mattling
 * Harlan Briggs — Denton Offut
 * George Rosener — Dr. Chandler
 * Trevor Bardette — John Hanks
 * Syd Saylor — John Johnston
 * Elisabeth Risdon — Sarah Lincoln
 * Charles Middleton — Tom Lincoln
 * Sonny Bupp — Willie Lincoln (uncredited)