The Conspirator: Mary Surratt and the Plot to Kill Lincoln (2011)

Directed by: Tom Jennings | 61 minutes | documentary | Narrator: Jamie Hanes

Interesting documentary about the aftermath of the assassination of President Lincoln (1809-1865) and the trial of one of the main suspects: Mary Surratt. The documentary follows on from the film ‘The Conspirator’ (2010) and provides more background on the conspiracy and the mysterious role of Mary Surratt.

Abraham Lincoln was the first president of the United States to be assassinated. And while John Wilkes Booth was the one who pulled the trigger, he was certainly not alone. Subsequent presidents Garfield (in 1881) and McKinley (in 1901) were murdered by “lonely madmen” and that is also the official story of the assassination of President Kennedy (in 1963), although this is doubted by many. There was no doubt that Lincoln’s assassination was a conspiracy.

Hundreds of thousands of victims were killed during the American Civil War (1861-1865) between the Union (the North) and the Confederacy (the South). As wartime prospects for the South grew bleak, noted actor John Wilkes Booth decided to attempt to kidnap Abraham Lincoln in order to trade him for prisoners of war. When this proved impossible, he switched to murder. With his accomplices, including John Surratt, they often gathered at the boarding house of John’s mother, 42-year-old Mary Surratt. Under the then Constitution, the Secretary of State was next in line after the Vice President. Hence, Booth hatched an ambitious plan to assassinate not only Lincoln, but also Vice President Johnson and Secretary William Seward. Johnson’s intended killer backed out at the last minute, but Seward (who was bedridden with broken bones after a carriage accident) and several people in his home were badly injured.

Led by the inflexible Secretary of War Edwin Stanton, a manhunt is launched, which leads, among other things, to the arrest of Mary Surratt. Lincoln’s real killer, John Wilkes Booth, is already dead. He was locked in a barn in Maryland and shot. A special military court tried the seven defendants in the summer of 1865.

The cinema film and the documentary complement each other nicely and it is certainly not the same story twice. The documentary highlights other details and also explains other nuances, which are not always reflected in the film. Some scenes are transferred straight from the film, but there are also reconstructions with actors. In addition, old photos, drawings and newspapers are used to sketch the events. Of course there are also the usual ‘talking heads’, in this case (military) historians and experts, who speak about the course of the process. Jamie Hanes’ narration skillfully guides the viewer through various aspects that are not directly relevant to the trial itself, from the layout of the courtroom – and what it looks like today – to the techniques of the famous photographer Alexander Gardner (who artistically photographed).

The documentary has been added as an extra on the blu-ray and DVD of ‘The Conspirator’. It is up to the viewer to decide whether to watch the film or documentary first. There is something to be said for both options. On the one hand, the documentary provides a clear overview and mainly focuses on Mary’s role, where the film does not work out all plot elements equally well and is unclear on some points. On the other hand, the film offers the advantage of well-acted drama, which draws you more into the story as a viewer.