Lincoln’s assassination plot part of ‘The Conspirator’
By Matt Grantz, Assistant Editor
May 6, 2011
 The story of Abraham Lincoln’s assassination is a well-known one. John Wilkes Booth shot Lincoln in the head at a play and then jumped from the balcony and ran away.
What many people don’t know is that Booth was part of a wider conspiracy to kill other members of the government. Booth’s fellow conspirators were then hunted down and put on trial for their parts in the conspiracy. “The Conspirator” tells the story of Mary Surratt, the only woman accused in the conspiracy.
The film opens at a party in Washington celebrating the end of the Civil War. During the party, soldiers are seen moving in formation and the attempt on Lincoln’s life is announced to those assembled. Lincoln’s body is then seen being moved from the theater and he dies soon afterward. Edwin Stanton (Kevin Kline), the Secretary of War, then orders military forces to begin the search for Booth and his conspirators.
Soldiers kill Booth, but his fellow conspirators are captured and placed on trial by a military tribunal. Initially, Sen. Reverdy Johnson (Tom Wilkinson) is appointed to defend Mary Surratt (Robin Wright), but the military commission is unsympathetic because of his Southern ties. To solve this problem, Johnson forces Fredrick Aiken (James McAvoy) to defend Surratt because he is from the North and served in the Union Army during the war and the commission won’t be suspicious of him.
 Initially, Aiken is reluctant to defend Surratt as he believes she is guilty of participating in the assassination, but he soon comes to discover evidence that shows she didn’t participate. At the same time, the trial proceeds and the prosecution usesmany unjust tactics to win. These two factors lead Aiken to lead a spirited defense of his client. The rest, as they say, ishistory.
“The Conspirator” manages to make interesting and dramatic what could easily have been a boring documentary. Through a combination of “Law & Order” type trial scenes, personal side stories and historical fact, “The Conspirator” manages to weave an intricate tale that keeps the audience interested throughout the movie. Additionally, the acting convinces the audience they are witnessing 150-year-old history.
I must say, though, not everyone will enjoy this movie. Those who aren’t big history fans and those who tend to enjoy big explosions and flashy effects probably won’t be as engaged in “The Conspirator.” Overall though, “The Conspirator” is an excellent movie and I would highly recommend it.
[comments] |
