THE GREAT MAN’S WHISKERS

US, 1972, 96 minutes, Colour.
Dean Jones, John Mc Giver, Dennis Weaver, Ann Sothern, Cindy Eilbacher, John Hillerman, Harve Presnell.
Directed by Philip Leacock.

A pleasant family telemovie about Abraham, Lincoln and a little girl who wrote to advise him that he would make a better impression with whiskers, it would modify his sad face, attract the women voters who would persuade their husbands to vote for him! The film focuses on the girl and her family in a small town. The film is a fable, full of whimsy designed for family viewing - it does not make a strong impact because the tone is a mixture of the serious and the whimsical and the little girl is not such an engaging heroine.

However, there is a lot of interesting material in the film and some social background presented. Dean Jones as Elizabeth's father carries the film but there is a very enjoyable performance by John Mc Giver as the managing mayor of the town. Dennis Weaver guest stars as Lincoln and makes a very strong impression as the president – and even looks like him. Direction is by Phillip Leacock, an English director who made such classics as The Kidnappers and who went to America and made many small budgeted social films and many telemovies.

1. The appeal of the film for the family audience, the children, parents? Impact on an American audience? The audience's appreciation of American history and of Abraham Lincoln?

2. The telemovie style and its wholesome presentation of politics and families? Its adaptation for home viewing?

3. The period, towns and homes, the social background being discussed especially slavery? Lincoln and his presidency, the attitudes of the Southerners, Northerners? The slave owners? Audience knowledge of this period?

4. The focus on Elizabeth - as a young girl, her writing the letter to Lincoln, her home life, her mother's death, her father trying to manage bringing her up, Aunt Margaret? her imaginary companion Mary Jane, her friendship with Pearl and Pearl's mother? cheeky and wilful girl? The clashes with Aunt Margaret? how sympathetic was she to the audience? The audience liking her, hoping that Lincoln would visit her, the impact of the visit of Lincoln?

5. James Cooper and his fiancee - his role as a school teacher, ambitions? his visit to Hogan and the way that he got the brush-off? Hogan's change of attitude and the presumptions about the friendship with Lincoln? The offers of friendship, speech-making? The preparation of his speech for welcoming Lincoln? The crowds at his home, the
clashes? various issues and his stances? His being political about the blacks? His kow-towing to Hogan? his relationship with his fiancee, and the need to earn more money to bring up Elizabeth? his clashes with Elizabeth arid his ignoring, of her?

6. The portrait of Hogan as mayor, his assistant? His talking over people, an opportunist, his promoting James, criticising his speech? and then having to acknowledge the friendship of Lincoln f'or Elizabeth? The type of mayor that will always win, no matter what!

7. Aunt Margaret and her place in the household, teaching Elizabeth to curtsy, the sequence with the mouse and forcing James to open the present for Lincoln? The effect of Aunt Margaret on Elizabeth?

8. The request of the mouse, James buying the mouse for his daughter, the comedy with the mouse, Lincoln, a father to give his daughter the present of a mouse?

9. The people at the station, the band and its practice, the little boy and the trumpet?

10. The portrait of Lincoln and what he stood for? Preparation for the train trip, the collage of Lincoln's statements about social. issues? The inter-editing of the train trip coming towards the town? Lincoln through the fields, down the street, visiting Elizabeth, pleasantly having the cocoa, his shoes off, the whiskers and his acceptance of the gift? His friendship with Pearl and Mary Jane and Pearl's mother? His talking to Hogan from the back of the train? The advice to James to stand on his own feet? The issue of the slavery?

11. James confronting Elizabeth, his not believing, her, the people coming to the house? The lessons to be learnt from Lincoln's visit?

12. A piece of entertaining imaginative history?