Based on a true story, The Conspirator tells the tale of the people who so famously planned the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln. Directed by Robert Redford, the film largely focuses on the events of Mary Surratt's arrest and trial after the assassination. As the whole nation turns against her, a reluctant lawyer (James McAvoy) is tasked with defending her innocence and uncovering the real truth.
In history classes across the country, students learn about the assassination of one of this nation's greatest presidents, but they rarely hear the story about those who committed such a terrible act. John Wilkes Booth is synonymous with the assassination plot, but little is known about the story of the other conspirators. "I came across the story of Mary Surratt. I didn't know much about her story and found others didn't as well. This is a story that has largely gone untold in this country's classrooms, and so I felt it was a story that needed to be told," director Robert Redford stated.
Mary Surratt was the owner of a boarding house where a few of the men who conspired to kill President Lincoln stayed for a period of time. After the assassination, Mary was charged with aiding and abetting the plan to assassinate the President. If convicted, she along with the other conspirators would face death by hanging. None of these allegations are true according to Mary, but the country had already made up their minds.
A noble and respected soldier in the Union army, civilian lawyer Mr. Aiken, is tasked with defending her in court. Along with everyone else, he believes that she is "guilty as sin". Attorney General Reverdy Johnson (Tom Wilkenson) tells Aiken that the only way he can take himself off the case is if he can prove to himself that she is completely innocent. As Aiken digs deeper into the life of Mary Surratt and the events surrounding the assassination plot, the evidence continuously leads him in the direction of proving her innocence. He eventually decides to defend her in order to save her life.
Overall, this was a great film. It was produced and directed superbly and featured no major historical inaccuracies. The biggest issue with this film is that you don't entirely know what the focus of the movie is supposed to be. From the title, one would assume it is about the story of Mary Surratt, which it largely is; however, there are parts that shift the focus more towards the other conspirators. Those who carried out the heinous crime aren't shown much importance and treated more as an afterthought throughout much of the second portion of the film. The film should have disclosed more information about the other conspirators as well as the development of the plot to kill President Lincoln.
Throughout the movie, there are flashbacks which give you a glimpse into the events that unfolded prior to the night of the assassination, but not enough information to ever help you form a justified opinion on the matter. The movie never convinces you of Mary Surratt's innocence. It suggests and hints that she is innocent but never really gives you any concrete evidence.
The third issue with this film is that other then the main actors, the acting is quite poor. Accents seem hokey and desperately fake. The supporting actors either try to hard or don't try hard enough. Some seemed bored with their roles or the scene and couldn't wait till they were done. Regardless of some poor acting, the story is excellent. If enjoyed as a history lesson, The Conspirator will not disappoint, but don't come expecting to be highly entertained. The majority of the movie centers around the dull atmosphere of an 1800's courtroom. Take an evening to support a quality independent film and learn more about an important historical event in American history.
Grade: B
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