'Lincoln' Factual Flaw Spotted by Conn. Congressman
"Lincoln" has swept film awards ceremonies this year, but one Connecticut congressman realized a detrimental flaw to the movie.
"Lincoln" was critically acclaimed for its documentary-like accuracy and presentation. The Steven Spielberg-directed film stars Daniel Day-Lewis, Sally Field, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, among many others.
The dramatic historical drama has been nominated for 12 Oscars among a slew of others awards, but as Rep. Joe Courtney viewed "Lincoln" last weekend, the Congressman noted imprecision.
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Courtney revealed he was shocked over the scene where President Abraham Lincoln struggles to abolish slavery through the 13th Amendment to the Constitution and two Connecticut congressmen vote against it.
"Wow, Connecticut voted against abolishing slavery," Courtney recalled hearing audience members ask aloud, according to The Associated Press. "I obviously had the same reaction. It was really bugging me."
Following his viewing of "Lincoln," Courtney promptly conducted online research about Connecticut's vote during the pivotal time in 1865 and confirmed that his suspicions of inaccuracy in the film were true.
The representative also penned a letter to Spielberg, which read: "How could congressmen from Connecticut- a state that supported President Lincoln and lost thousands of her sons fighting against slavery on the Union side of the Civil War- have been on the wrong side of history?"
Furthermore, Courtney asked the Congressional Research Service to look into the matter, and it concluded that, unlike the film's depiction, all four Conn. congressmen backed the 13th amendment.
Despite the error, Courtney praised the film for its cinematography, but insists that the scene in "Lincoln" see repair before it is released to DVD.
"Lincoln" has earned over $160 million of the box office since its release on Christmas Day.
At last month's Golden Globes, "Lincoln" led with a total of seven nominations, including best drama as well as acting honors for Daniel Day-Lewis, Sally Field, and Tommy Lee Jones.
