Watch The Conspirator

The Conspirator is a historical drama movie set in the aftermath of the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln. The film is directed by Robert Redford and stars Robin Wright, James McAvoy, and Tom Wilkinson in the lead roles. It was released in 2010 and portrays the events leading up to the trial and execution of Mary Surratt, the only woman to be convicted and executed for her alleged involvement in the conspiracy to kill Lincoln.

The movie centers around Frederick Aiken (James McAvoy), a young Union Army veteran, who now works as a lawyer in Washington D.C. Shortly after Lincoln's assassination, Aiken is approached by Reverdy Johnson (Tom Wilkinson), a fellow lawyer and Aiken's mentor, to defend Mary Surratt (Robin Wright), who has been accused of making the arrangements for John Wilkes Booth to kill Lincoln. Aiken is initially reluctant to take up the case, as he believes that Surratt is guilty, but he eventually agrees to represent her owing to Johnson's insistence that Mary is entitled to a fair trial.

The Conspirator is a courtroom drama that depicts the unfairness of the military tribunal that tried Mary Surratt, her eventual conviction, and execution by hanging. The movie portrays Surratt as a devout Catholic, a single mother and the owner of a boarding house in Washington D.C., where John Wilkes Booth and his conspirators allegedly met to plan the assassination of the President. Despite the lack of evidence linking Surratt to the crime, she is held responsible because of her association with Booth and his team. Her only fault, as the movie portrays it, is to have been a Confederate sympathizer, trapped in the midst of a political drama.

Mary Surratt's trial is frequently interrupted by political interference from the Reverend William McWhirter (Danny Huston) and the Secretary of War Edwin Stanton (Kevin Kline). McWhirter is a bitter, bigoted preacher who tries to influence the judges in the trial by invoking the wrath of God against anyone who would speak of mercy towards Surratt, while Stanton, a powerful man in the U.S. government, pressures the judges to secure a guilty verdict for Surratt through a variety of means, including using false testimony.

The Conspirator is an emotional and thought-provoking portrayal of Mary Surratt's trial. The movie highlights the ambiguity of the situation that Mary found herself in and shows the viewer how the military tribunal was prejudiced against her from the start. The film manages to evoke a sense of tension and suspense by presenting the jury's verdict as an uncertain outcome until the very end.

In the end, the movie asks the audience to consider whether Mary Surratt was denied her right to a fair trial and whether her punishment was disproportionate to her alleged role in the assassination of the President. The Conspirator is a well-made and compelling movie that offers an intriguing look into an often-overlooked aspect of American history. It is a movie that manages to entertain while also shining a light on the injustices that occurred in the aftermath of one of the most significant events in America's past.

In conclusion, The Conspirator is a compelling and thought-provoking movie that offers an intriguing insight into the aftermath of the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln. It is a well-made film that features excellent performances by its leading actors and an engaging storyline. The movie manages to create a sense of suspense and tension while also providing a nuanced view of the political and social context of the time. Overall, it is a movie that is well worth watching, particularly for those who are interested in American history or courtroom dramas.

The Conspirator is a 2010 crime movie with a runtime of 2 hours and 2 minutes. It has received moderate reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.9 and a MetaScore of 55.