The Lincoln Conspiracy

In 1865, shortly after the end of the Civil War, America is rocked by a horrific crime. President Abraham Lincoln is shot in the head by actor John Wiles Booth (Toby Kebbel) during a theatrical performance. A short time later, Lincoln succumbs to his severe injuries. Booth manages to escape, but is tracked down and shot a short time later. Since the assassin did not act alone, it is now necessary to quickly catch the co-conspirators and convict them, so that the hard-won stability of America does not immediately collapse again. With a hard hand, Secretary of War Edwin Stanton (Kevin Kline) takes action against the Lincoln assassins and soon has important successes to show for it. Only John Surratt (Johnny Simmons) manages to escape.

To make this not look like a failure, his mother Mary Surratt (Robin Wright) is summarily arrested, as Booth and his followers had been meeting regularly at her boarding house. Young war hero and newly minted lawyer Frederick Aiken (James McAvoy), of all people, is asked to take on the woman's defense. Only reluctantly he agrees, especially since this task is hardly met with understanding by his friends and colleagues. But the more he looks into the case, the more he believes in Mary's innocence and is forced to question everything he fought for in the war.

Robert Redford has delivered a piece of first-class acting cinema with The Lincoln Conspiracy. His historically accurate courtroom drama may be a bit dry here and there, with a few minor lengths. But the great acting of the impressive cast alone quickly makes up for these minor flaws. Robin Wright impresses as a woman who is hated by almost an entire country and yet desperately hopes that her innocence can still be proven - yet she has long since become a political pawn, so that the question of her innocence doesn't really matter anymore. With haggard facial expressions and a look of extreme hopelessness, Wright makes the audience feel the full tragedy of this character. John McAvoy holds his own as an ambitious young lawyer with a no less convincing performance, which admittedly takes place on a different level, but still harmonizes so well with Wright's performance, so that the scenes between Mary Surratt and Frederick have a very special strength.

The rest of the cast all play only minor supporting roles, but nevertheless a great Kevin Kline in particular leaves just as lasting an impression as Tom Wilkinson or Stephen Root. Besides the convincing ensemble and the debut feature script by James D. Solomon, the set, costumes and production design are other important elements that can contribute to the success of the film. Redford's team has succeeded in transporting the viewer to the Washington of 1865. This is where the film is truly a feast for the eyes. Still, the film doesn't feel dusty, but much more like there is a more contemporary story to be told here. Because the parallels to current political conflicts and trials are actually hard to miss.

So The Lincoln Conspiracy is without question a good, if not one ehr good film, a gripping historical and judicial drama with great actors. That the production lacks a certain emotionality can either be chalked up to Redford, or credited highly. But there is no question that the film is a bit dry and unwieldy and can only be recommended to viewers who are interested in the subject and this part of American history. But for all those who are interested in this part of American history, it is definitely recommendable!

An article by Frankfurt-Tipp