Covers a lot of similar ground as the far superior Young Mr. Lincoln, but does have points in its favor with Raymond Massey's strong performance and the fact it covers the Lincoln-Douglas debates and the 1860 election. In terms of movies on Abraham Lincoln, Spielberg's Lincoln feels like history, Young Mr. Lincoln feels like pure American mythology, Abe Lincoln in Illinois feels like shoddy and convenient yet earnest Hollywood version of history.

Covers a lot of similar ground as the far superior Young Mr. Lincoln, but does have points in its favor with Raymond Massey's strong performance and the fact it covers the Lincoln-Douglas debates and the 1860 election. In terms of movies on Abraham Lincoln, Spielberg's Lincoln feels like history, Young Mr. Lincoln feels like pure American mythology, Abe Lincoln in Illinois feels like shoddy and convenient yet earnest Hollywood version of history.