Lincoln At City Hall
By Steve Herte
Planning Friday night's Dinner and a Movie involved the special
two holiday hours granted to us at the office. That got me to the theater for
the 3:30 show and the restaurant for a 6:15 reservation. Three hours later
(yes, it was a leisurely dinner) I was heading for home. All considered, it's
been a great holiday season even if my greeting cards will be way late. So,
enjoy!
Lincoln (Dreamworks, 2012) - Director: Steven Spielberg. Starring:
Daniel Day-Lewis, Sally Field, David Strathairn, Chase Edmunds, Joseph
Gordon-Levitt, Hal Holbrook, Tommy Lee Jones, Jared Harris, Christopher Boyer,
Gloria Reuben, & Gulliver McGrath. 150 minutes.
Judging
by the 15 people who eventually joined me in the theater, I’m not the last one
in New York to catch this wonderful film. While I’m generally not into historic
movies or biographies, Steven Spielberg went to great lengths to present our
greatest president at the most difficult period of his administration. Having
the incomparable John Williams create the powerful musical score adds to the
grandeur and emotional peaks and valleys depicted throughout.
The
year is 1865 and Lincoln (Daniel Day-Lewis) has already made his Emancipation
Proclamation and is now starting his second term in office. The Civil War has
been raging on for over four years and he feels the weight of being Commander
in Chief as well as the father of a son killed in the war, Willie (Chase Edmunds).
The urgency of passing the 13th Amendment, freeing the slaves, now adds to this
burden with all the politics and speeches, cajoling and reasoning (and in some
cases bribery) he must go through with the various capricious members of the
House of Representatives. (The bill has already passed the Senate.) If that
weren’t enough, his second son Robert (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) wants to enlist in
the Union Army, something neither he nor Mary Todd (Sally Field) approved. In
fact, they have a huge argument about it during which the two actors display
their best talents.
Spielberg
tells this story in a palpably sad, gray, almost colorless film whose seemingly
hopeless quest crescendos with the bill being signed by a two-thirds majority.
Then, the glorious bubble pops with Lincoln’s assassination – announced at a
play his son Tad is attending, not from Ford’s Theater. But hope is not lost.
The movie ends with a positive reflection back on Lincoln’s second Inaugural
Address in a powerful scene on the Capitol steps, delivered most capably by Day-Lewis.
I
was convinced that this was indeed Abraham Lincoln and Mary Todd Lincoln (even
though both actors are better looking than the originals) by their superb
portrayals. David Strathairn plays Secretary of State William Seward
convincingly, but I have to wonder if he and Lincoln were always at such odds.
Hal Holbrook might as well be a historic character as he’s played so many and
here he’s Preston Blair. The make-up job done on Tommy Lee Jones (the bags
under his eyes have bags) to become Thaddeus Stevens is very impressive and his
mean-spirited character is one of surprises, right up to the end when he gets
in bed with his black housekeeper. Jared Harris makes a good, but strangely
sober Ulysses Grant and Christopher Boyer made a wordless appearance as Robert
E. Lee astride a white horse at Appomattox Court House. Lincoln’s pre-teen
third son Tad is played by Gulliver McGrath and is actually given a few clever
lines. Gloria Reuben does an exemplary performance as Elizabeth Keckley, Mary
Todd’s dressmaker/maid, who is always by her side, even in the balcony of the
House of Representatives. Her expression when the 13th Amendment is passed
was genuine joy.
Taken
as a whole, Lincoln is a good candidate for an Oscar and the
male and female leads even more so. (Maybe not a boatload as Jon Gallagher wrote in November) My only concern was hearing the “f” word twice in the film,
leading me to wonder first if it was an anachronism, second, why it was
necessary? Counter balancing this, I found the ever-present stories told by
President Lincoln charming (though infuriating to other cast members). And
this, plus Lincoln’s obvious wit was noted in Smithsonian Magazine’s November
issue. As Spielberg is quoted, “I did not want to make a movie about a
monument. I wanted the audience to get into the working process of the
president.” That you did, Mr. Spielberg. That you did.
Rating: 4 out of 5 Martini glasses.
City Hall
131 Duane Street (between Church and West Broadway), New York City
You
may have heard me rave about this restaurant before and, if you’re one of my
co-workers you’ve heard me recommend it for all luncheons. City Hall has easily
become my favorite restaurant in Manhattan for several reasons. When you make a
reservation, they call you to confirm. The staff is well trained to not only be
pleasant, polite and make you feel at ease; they go the extra mile to learn
your name and greet you as a family member returning home. Then there is Chef
Meer, whose recipes are mouth-watering and good, flavorful comforts, especially
on a winter’s night.
After
you pass the sidewalk café backed by the gracefully arched windows of 14-year-old
City Hall you step up to the main entrance of the 1863 neo-classical building
and through the door to the Captain’s station. Their 2012 Award for culinary
excellence is noticeable on the wall to the left as is the glassed in ice
display of shellfish. Straight ahead is the elegantly cozy bar. After checking
your coat you are led through the doors to the left of the award into the
high-ceilinged main dining area with its bare-topped tables and scroll-shaped
booths. The lighting is provided by cast iron circular swags with bare
unfrosted incandescent bulbs set to a warm glow.
The
kitchen is visible at the far end of the room and it has its own bar in the
corner straight ahead. To the right is the gently curving seafood raw bar. I
was seated in a familiar booth I’ve occupied several times. My waiter brought
me a glass of water, the wine list, the menu and a tray of raw carrots, celery,
radishes, stuffed olives, pickled tomatoes and dill pickles. He took my martini
order (I never have to go into detail as to the preparation) and left me to
read the single long card of culinary delights. It’s divided into Oyster Bar,
High Rise Seafood Towers, First Courses (chilled seafood, light fries,
tartars), Second Courses (soups and salads), Main Course, New York Steaks,
Steaks for Two, Market Specialties (appetizers and mains), and Sides to Share.
My
waiter reappears with a perfect cocktail and tells me about the specials, all
of which sound great, and continues to the next table of customers. As I’m
deciding I see Colorado Lamb Chops on the menu and I recall a conversation I
had with the chef a year or so ago when he demurred on serving Colorado Lamb
Chops because of the amount he would have to charge for them, yet there they
were. Then I heard my waiter offer the “last order of Colorado Rack of Lamb”
and my head popped up. As he came past my table again he apologized for not
having mentioned it to me, asked if that was what I wanted and put a hold on
the dish when I said yes.
Assured
by my waiter that I could take my time, I selected the raw oysters (3 East
Coast, 3 West Coast) served on a bed of ice with two dipping sauces; a
horseradish/tomato and a vinegar/onion. They were all tender, a little sweet
with a touch of brine and the sauces accented them nicely. I selected a 2006
Zinfandel from Joseph Swan Vineyards in Forestville, California, to accompany my
meal. Its deep red color and full-bodied flavor peaked with the main course.
Next
I chose one of the specials: a spinach and goat cheese salad with slivered
endive topped by a goat cheesecake – delightful. At this point I realized I
hadn’t ordered a side dish. Normally this would have just been a faux
pas. Not in City Hall. The Curried Onion Rings is a signature dish I crave
every time I’m there. It was not too late, whew!
The
main course arrived, six delicate, tender lamb chops in a rack topped by a
zesty, crisp, slightly salty bread crumb drizzle and accompanied by a ramekin
of creamy horseradish dipping sauce and watercress salad topped with (guess
what?) another fried onion ring (the buttery kind). The Curried Onion Rings
were mounded in a wire basket and begging to be eaten. Just as an aside, if
they served these instead of popcorn in movie theaters, I would definitely
being seen eating there. I felt decadently happy.
Dessert
time rolled around as I finished the main course and was more than halfway
through the onion rings (which were packed up for home). Another special
sounded great to me. It was baked pear compote with both pumpkin and French
vanilla ice cream. The flavors were tart and sweet, creamy and frosty nutmeg,
altogether wonderful. Then a tisane of Earl Grey tea (a tea press) and a glass
of dry sherry later and I was ready for the New Year to come. City Hall has
done it again.
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