The Face of Lincoln

The Face of Lincoln is an American short film by Edward Freed from the year 1955.

Action

Merrell Gage, Professor of Fine Arts and Head of the Department of Sculpture at the University of Southern California, first explained Abraham Lincoln's face from the perspective of a sculptor. The face is challenging to model because both halves of the face differ significantly. Gage finally begins to shape Lincoln's bust from a block of clay out. He reported stations in Lincoln's life, his political rise, his work as a lawyer and his wives. Finally, the portrait of the young Lincoln is finished.

In the course of the narrative progresses Gages Lincoln's life continues and also the changes on its exterior are evident, then Lincoln was first a beard. In addition, the civil war wrote deeply into Lincoln's face. From first simple wrinkle among others on the forehead are getting deeper wrinkles, which run through the whole face. Last goes back Lincoln's hair, he puts his crown and his beard otherwise becomes thinner. This continuously nachvollzogene with sound image is the finale, which shows him at the time when he was murdered. Gage concludes his remarks with the hope that Lincoln's mind and his views may live on.

Production

The Face of Lincoln was implemented by the Department of Cinema at the University of Southern California. Merrell Gage (1892-1981) was considered a Lincoln expert. He created two Lincoln monuments: A statue of the seated Lincoln in front of the Kansas State Capitol in Topeka as well as a bust of Lincoln, which was set up in Los Angeles and similar modeled in the film. The film received a copyright entry on December 1, 1955.

Awards

The Face of Lincoln won a 1956 Oscar for Best Short Film ( Two -Reel ). The film was also nominated Best Short Documentary for an Oscar in the category.