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b'Being a historical consultant for movies is never easy. How do you get the period details right while keeping it contained within an interesting narrative? But being a historical consultant about one of the most recognizable figure in history is even harder. That\\u2019s why today\\u2019s guest Catherine Clinton had her work cut out for her.

For the 2012 Steve Spielberg movie \\u201cLincoln,\\u201d Clinton\\u2014a U.S. academic historian and expert on Mary Lincoln\\u2014was consulted by filmmakers over costume details and details about the Lincolns\\u2019 lives.

In this episode we discuss


Popular misconceptions about Mary Todd that historians know is falseWhether her reputation as a hellcat or maniac is deserved, and if not, why it became distortedChallenges of portraying historical fact while cutting necessary corners for a 2-hour film narrativeWhat \\u201cLincoln\\u201d portrayed about Abraham and Mary Todd that other film makers have missedLessons from the life of Abraham and Mary Todd we should remember today'