Young Mr. Lincoln (1939)

Henry Fonda (unrecongnizable in his makeup) plays Lincoln in his very early days of his career in John Ford's reverent, Black-and-white biographical/courtroom drama. Lincoln is shown to be as he was, an amibitous man with dreams to serve the people. The movie starts off in the early 1930s in Kentucky, when Licnoln begins to take up an interest in law. The film shows him riding a mule up to Springfield Illinois to begin his practice, and the last three-quarters of the movie is a courtroom drama, with some terrific comedy relief (Lincoln calling one of the witnesses - named Jack Cass - a Jackass) Though most of he details of the trial have been changed, the event is based on one of Lincoln's "Duff Armstrong/Full Moon" trial, where Lincoln established himself as a star defender, and debater. In the film, Lincoln also has a few brushes with characters who would play major roles in his real life (though not depicted in the movie) his future political opponent - Steven Douglas, and his wife, Mary Todd. Screenwriter Lamar Trotti was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Story. Co-starring Ward Bond, who is great in his supporting role as a witness-turned-murder suspect.