The Conspirator
Today, on this the 146th anniversary of the death of President Abraham Lincoln, a new movie opens in theatres which reenacts some of the events following Lincoln's assassination. The Conspirator is Robert Redford's film about the story of Mary Surratt, the only female co-conspirator charged in connection with Lincoln's assassination and the first woman to be executed by the United States federal government. The film stars Robin Wright Penn in the lead role of Surratt. The cast also incluses James McAvoy, Justin Long, Evan Rachel Wood, Jonathan Groff, Tom Wilkinson, Alexis Bledel, Kevin Kline, and Toby Kebbell. A teaser for the film describes the plot as follows:
"In the wake of Abraham Lincoln's assassination, seven men and one woman are arrested and charged with conspiring to kill the President, Vice President, and Secretary of State. The lone woman charged, Mary Surratt (Wright) owns a boarding house where John Wilkes Booth (Toby Kebbell) and others met and planned the simultaneous attacks. Against the ominous back-drop of post-Civil War Washington, newly-minted lawyer, Frederick Aiken (McAvoy), a 28-year-old Union war-hero, reluctantly agrees to defend Surratt before a military tribunal. Aiken realizes his client may be innocent and that she is being used as bait and hostage in order to capture the only conspirator to have escaped a massive manhunt, her own son, John (Johnny Simmons). As the nation turns against her, Surratt is forced to rely on Aiken to uncover the truth and save her life."
Many will dispute and debate the historical accuracy of this film. Historians believe that, as part of the plot to kidnap Lincoln in March 1865, John Surratt, George Atzerodt, and David Herold hid two Spencer carbine rifles, ammunition, and some other supplies at the Surratt tavern in Surrattsville. On April 11, Mary Surratt rented a carriage and drove to the Surratt tavern She said she made the trip to collect a debt owed her by a former neighbor, but according to her tenant, John Lloyd, Mrs. Surratt told him to get the "shooting irons" ready to be picked up. On April 14, Mary Surratt said she would once again visit the family tavern in Surrattsville to collect a debt. Shortly before she left the city, John Wilkes Booth visited the boardinghouse and spoke with her. He gave her a package (later found to contain binoculars) to Lloyd for pick-up later that evening. Surratt did so, and (according to Lloyd) again told Lloyd to have the "shooting irons" ready for pick-up. Booth and Herold picked up the rifles and binoculars that evening as they fled Washington after Lincoln's assassination.
Following is a YouTube video of the trailer for this film:
"In the wake of Abraham Lincoln's assassination, seven men and one woman are arrested and charged with conspiring to kill the President, Vice President, and Secretary of State. The lone woman charged, Mary Surratt (Wright) owns a boarding house where John Wilkes Booth (Toby Kebbell) and others met and planned the simultaneous attacks. Against the ominous back-drop of post-Civil War Washington, newly-minted lawyer, Frederick Aiken (McAvoy), a 28-year-old Union war-hero, reluctantly agrees to defend Surratt before a military tribunal. Aiken realizes his client may be innocent and that she is being used as bait and hostage in order to capture the only conspirator to have escaped a massive manhunt, her own son, John (Johnny Simmons). As the nation turns against her, Surratt is forced to rely on Aiken to uncover the truth and save her life."
Many will dispute and debate the historical accuracy of this film. Historians believe that, as part of the plot to kidnap Lincoln in March 1865, John Surratt, George Atzerodt, and David Herold hid two Spencer carbine rifles, ammunition, and some other supplies at the Surratt tavern in Surrattsville. On April 11, Mary Surratt rented a carriage and drove to the Surratt tavern She said she made the trip to collect a debt owed her by a former neighbor, but according to her tenant, John Lloyd, Mrs. Surratt told him to get the "shooting irons" ready to be picked up. On April 14, Mary Surratt said she would once again visit the family tavern in Surrattsville to collect a debt. Shortly before she left the city, John Wilkes Booth visited the boardinghouse and spoke with her. He gave her a package (later found to contain binoculars) to Lloyd for pick-up later that evening. Surratt did so, and (according to Lloyd) again told Lloyd to have the "shooting irons" ready for pick-up. Booth and Herold picked up the rifles and binoculars that evening as they fled Washington after Lincoln's assassination.
Following is a YouTube video of the trailer for this film: