Here's my breakdown of major plot points – okay, some minor ones, too. I have taken the liberty to expand on them with what impressed me as resourceful, at points brilliant, use of basic dramatic elements and techniques. We all have our favorite films, our go-to scripts for specific genres. This is one of my go-to scripts for how to do a historical drama. The Opening Scene is a bloody, pitched battle, utter mayhem, hand-to-hand combat between Black Union and White Confederate soldiers. This establishes the conflict with Stake Characters, Blacks fighting for freedom. Page 4-5: The Story Issue is explicitly stated by a Black soldier reciting Lincoln’s words at Gettysburg: “a new nation conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal”. Page 6-8: A dream is resourcefully used for three dramatic purposes: 1] Plant a Premonition; and 2]Establish a Milestone; and 3] establish the Inciting Incident. The Premonition is Lincoln’s assassination. The Milestone is the Union assault on the Confederate port Wilmington, NC. Capturing the port will be another nail, an important nail, in the coffin of the Confederacy. The Inciting Incident is Lincoln’s decision to push the 13th Amendment abolishing slavery through the House of Representative before the end of his first term. Pages 10-27: Debate Everyone objects to Lincoln’s objective goal, have good reasons why he should wait. During the course of the debate other complications are established that increase the dramatic tension: Page 19: Jeopardy: There is no safety margin. He can’t afford one defection in the Republican ranks. Page 21-22: Lincoln is trapped in the Horns of a Dilemma. And not just one dilemma but two: 1] His son Robert wants to enlist in the war, but his mother is adamantly opposed – the vexing Disunity in their relationship. 2] Some members will only vote for the amendment if Lincoln negotiates peace terms with the Confederacy. Other members won’t vote for the amendment if he does. Page 28: At the End of Act 1, Lincoln makes his Dramatic Goal Statement, win passage of the amendment. Two dramatic elements figure into this moment: 1] It’s a Damn the Torpedoes-–Full Speed Ahead! decision. Lincoln commits to the goal despite the odds, despite the obstacles, despite all the arguments against it coming from the people who should be his allies, his own cabinet and political allies. 2] There’s a Ticking Clock: “Come February the first, I intend to sign the Thirteenth Amendment.” Page 30: And so the story moves into first half of Act 2 by the Introduction of a Pivotal Character. The general rule is to introduce – that is, visually -- all major characters in Act One. If it isn’t possible to shoehorn them all in, then the usual m.o. is to refer to them in Act One, give them their visual introduction early in Act Two. Such is the case with Thaddeus Stevens, the tempestuous leader of the radical Republicans and pivotal character to passing the Amendment. Referred to on page 20, he’s now introduced. Page 32: Another useful dramatic technique comes into play, the Inviolate Rule. By that I mean early on, the main character makes a promise or resolution to never do something or to always do something. And – guess what? – by the end of Act 2, he will have broken his own promise or resolution, unwittingly or out of necessity. In this case it’s Lincoln’s proxy, Secretary of State Seward, who states the Inviolate Rule: Lincoln’s name is not to be mentioned; Lincoln must not be directly involved in the unseemly business procuring, er, winning votes. Pages 30-60: Dramatic tension builds in all story threads. The political fight to win votes goes forward with limited results. The siege of Wilmington, NC has not succeeded. Lincoln is pressed hard to negotiate with the Confederates. Robert arrives, demands he be allowed to enlist. The 1st half of Act 2 Culminates at a grand reception. Mary Lincoln confronts Thaddeus Stevens, a chief critique of her extravagant spending, while her husband counsels him to muzzle his mouth for the sake of their common cause, passage of the 13th Amendment. Stevens is used as a Dramatic Foil to illustrate Lincoln’s moderate approach in contrast to Steven's volcanic zealotry. And so, we’ve arrived at the obligatory Mid-Act Two Turning Point where circumstances are supposed to change for better or worse. So what is the turning point at this point in the script? Does Stevens follow Lincoln’s advice? The question is left dangling. Next scene: after the reception, Lincoln and Mary argue over Robert beings allowed to enlist. Will Robert be able to enlist? The question is left dangling. Next scene: Lincoln is called away to the telegraph office for news about the siege of Wilmington, NC. There is progress, but not victory. When will the port fall? Again, the question is left dangling. Three back-to-back scenes in three story threads. Where is an unambiguous turning point? (To be continued)

And then... Pages 64-75: As the clock ticks, ticks, ticks there are Setbacks. Congressmen defect as rumors circulate about a peace delegation from Richmond on its way to Washington. Seward, Lincoln’s most faithful cabinet secretary, suggests that Lincoln give up the fight. The port of Wilmington falls, but the city hasn’t surrendered. Page 80: Finally an important Turning Point. On the floor of the House, Thaddeus Stevens doesn’t rise to the bait, the provocation that would doom passage. He tempers his tongue—- but gets the last word, anyway. Pages 81-86: The debate over Robert’s enlistment build to a Climax. Page 87: And then the Turning Point on that story thread as Mary consents to Robert enlisting. I think it’s worth pausing to reflect on how Kushner resolves this story thread, weaves it back into the main story. How he creates a new Unity out of their Disunity. Up to this point, Mary has had no direct interest, no personal stakes in the fight for the 13th Amendment, only indirectly in terms of wanting her husband to succeed. Now she invests in the political fight. Not as a wife, but in the more potent and emotional role as a mother. “Since you are sending my son into the war, woe unto you if you fail to pass the amendment.” Now it’s personal. Mary is a major stakeholder in the outcome of the political struggle. And so, as the story approaches the End of Act 2 all the major characters have a Personal Stake in the fight for the 13th Amendment. Page 88-89: At the All Is Lost Moment moment, Lincoln must break the Inviolate Rule, get personally involved in the wheeling and dealing for votes. Page 99-113 Act 3 the moment of truth, the vote. Page 115: A Reveal when Thaddeus Steven’s Black maid –- and mistress-- reads the 13th Amendment to him. Dare I say this is a delicious moment of ironic humor, Comic Relief if you will, icing on the cake of the emotional release following so much tension and suspense. Denouement(s): Page 116-118 Lincoln meets with Confederate delegation after the vote. He holds the winning hand – and the winning moral argument. Page 120: Lee surrenders. Note: The story thread of the siege of Wilmington, NC is not explicitly resolved by either a victory scene or a victory statement. But so what? By now, it’s a moot point. Page 124: Lincoln is assassinated. Coda, a term usually applied to music, but I can think of no more fitting description for how the movie concludes with Lincoln’s Second Inaugural address, universally acknowledged to be the greatest inaugural address in American history.

Spectacular breakdown of Lincoln, Paul, really well done. It spotlights how tightly crafted the narrative is, one event after the other, several subplots in motion, each weaving into and sometimes against the other, and lots of cliffhangers to end scenes and sequences. Of special note to me is your observation about how each of the major players evolve in relation to their personal connection to the goal of getting the amendment passed. Lincoln starts out there. The others play catch up. The final one: His wife. And so we see how Kushner has used their son as a device, not only to create tension between the couple, but also to compel her to join fully in the fight to see the amendment passed. This is one of those scripts for which you wish you could read multiple drafts as you have to think there is a lot of material which hit the cutting room floor albeit electronic script pages, not digital footage. To get the story so lean and tight, that is some creative and hard work. Again, Paul, a terrific analysis. This is such a fantastic addition to the archives, a great educational tool for other writers. Thanks!

Okay, let me lay out my one critique of this movie. To me, I wish it had ended with Lincoln leaving the White House to go to Ford Theater. He has a conversation with Slade, one of the White House staff. Here is that scene-ending excerpt: Lincoln nods. Slade enters with Lincoln’s hat, coat, and gloves. Lincoln begins to dress hurriedly. LINCOLN Am I in trouble? WILLIAM SLADE No, sir. LINCOLN Thank you, Mr. Slade. Slade hands Lincoln his gloves as Colfax and Ashley drain their drinks and rise. LINCOLN (CONT’D) I suppose it’s time to go, though I would rather stay. He leaves the room. Then we see Lincoln depart. Here is a link to a photo of the beginning of his departure. We see him walking, then slowly descend down some stairs, his top hat eventually disappearing from view. To me, I would have gone to black. Then super some info about him getting assassinated, the passage of the amendment, to credits. I mean those lines: Am I in trouble / I suppose it’s time to go, though I would rather stay. I mean, come on! How GREAT are those, such clear subtext, a portent of things to come. And the thing is, we all KNOW what happens to him. Did anyone else have this reaction?

It's my major complaint about the movie, too. I was expecting that scene to be the end of the movie. I was having a classic Aristotelian emotional response just imagining what was going to happen. Nothing more needed to be said or shown. And then the movie didn't end. The scenes tacked on broke that Aristotelian moment for me. They just didn't feel right.

>>>how each of the major players evolve in relation to their personal connection to the goal of getting the amendment passed. Lincoln starts out there. Exactly. Of which there is more to say in the discussion on the psychological journey.

Agreed. It was the perfect punchline. The choice that was used does serve the narrative better (the story's focus is the 13th amendment more than Lincoln), but I'm with you.