L.A. Times Calendar Story on ‘Lincoln’

‘Lincoln’ was a tall order for Spielberg, Day-Lewis

The director stepped outside his comfort zone of big special effects and spectacle to bring a language-driven drama about a president, played by Day-Lewis, in the midst of a political battle to the big screen.

“Lincoln today is beyond partisan politics,” Steven Spielberg said in a recent interview about his new movie, “Lincoln.”

“Yeahhhh,” said screenwriter Tony Kushner, almost teasing the director into claiming the country’s first Republican president for the left. “Just as long as the partisans all agree we’re involved in trying to make a government work.”

This spirited discussion between two modern American Democrats was settled finally by London-born Daniel Day-Lewis, “Lincoln’s” Lincoln. “It’s not as if we’ve made huge progress,” Day-Lewis said. “Progress is kind of like climbing on shale. You do slip back to go forwards.”