The Day Lincoln Was Shot (1998)

Director:

John Gray

Writers:

Jim Bishop (book), Tim Metcalfe (teleplay),

Stars:

Rob Morrow, Lance Henriksen, Donna Murphy

Nominated for 3 Primetime Emmys. Another 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Rob Morrow	...	John Wilkes Booth
Lance Henriksen	...	President Abraham Lincoln
Donna Murphy	...	Mary Todd Lincoln
Jean Louisa Kelly	...	Lucy Hale
Wil Wheaton	...	Robert Todd Lincoln
Titus Welliver	...	Lewis Thornton Paine
Jaimz Woolvett	...	David E. Herold
Jeremy Sisto	...	Frederick Seward
Kirk B.R. Woller	...	George A. Atzerodt (as Kirk B. R. Woller)
John Pleshette	...	Secretary of State William Henry Seward
Gregory Itzin	...	Mr. Crook
Adam Lamberg	...	Thomas 'Tad' Lincoln
John Ashton	...	Gen. Ulysses Simpson Grant
Eddie Jones	...	Secretary of War Edwin McMasters Stanton
Nancy Robinette	...	Mary E. Surratt

Storyline

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Plot Keywords:

violence | john wilkes booth | tragedy | flintlock pistol | musket | 

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Taglines:

The Murder. The Manhunt. The Events That Stunned A Nation.

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Genres:

Biography | Drama | History

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

12 April 1998 (USA)

Also Known As:

Atentat na Linkolna

Filming Locations:

Virginia Rep Center - 114 W. Broad Street, Richmond, Virginia, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Robert Greenwald Productions, Turner Network Television (TNT)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

95 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Goofs

In one scene there is a wallpaper which features a pattern of cyphers consisting of the letters VRI and a royal crown. The letters stand for "Victoria Regina Imperatrix" which is Latin for "Victoria Queen Empress". It seems strange that such a royal motif would have been used in the USA. However even if someone would have wanted to decorate their walls with cypher of the British monarch in 1865, it would have been "VR". It was not until 1877 that Queen Victoria was given the title "Empress of India" when India was formally incorporated into the British Empire.

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Quotes

John Wilkes Booth: What we are talking about is property, slaves are property, valuable, well taken care of. Uhh, gentlemen treats his slaves the way he would his finest tools, with care and concern. It's in his own best interest to do so. Now this... dictator, declares they are free. What happens now? What *happens* to these free men? Free to what? Free to go where? What what what are they trained for? It's insanity. I mean does this man truly believe that he can obliterate a way of life that is centuries old?
John Surratt: ...
[...]

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Connections

Remake of Ford Star Jubilee: The Day Lincoln Was Shot (1956)

User Reviews

Fine Cable Fodder

Director John Gray, after his last two mediocre-at-best theatrical efforts "Born To Be Wild" and "The Glimmer Man", returns to his tv-directing roots with "The Day Lincoln Was Shot", a fascinating look at one of our country's most famous assassinations. When you watch a good movie, you usually go through the motions: suspense, awe, tragedy (or at least mild sadness), and hopefully in the process crack a smile or two. While no brilliant cinematic triumph, "The Day Lincoln Was Shot" more or less manages to achieve those basic standards, and nowadays, that's no easy feat. What helps it achieve that, though, are two vital factors that elude most modern Hollywood projects: great subject material and great casting. The material is obvious, and should be interesting to most anyone who has even the vaguest knowledge of American history. As for casting, "Millennium" star Lance Henriksen finally lands a fresh role as the Sixteenth President, and it's a startling discovery to find that Mr. Henriksen has been seemingly born with the precise facial mold of good ol' Honest Abe himself, and that it's taken so long for someone to notice! Just add beard, costume and viola! While still playing a dark role, there's a spark to Mr. Henriksen's Lincoln, that makes him alive and real, and more importantly, human. Rob Morrow is John Wilkes Booth, the actor gone bad, who, as we see here, is not just a cardboard borderline psychotic, rather, there's a method to his madness, a motive that fringes on being understandable that brings a freshness to the scenes Morrow steals; it's a relief to see him playing someone other than a smug yuppie trapped in our society. All in all, John Gray has been blessed with the gift of story-telling brevity, and we get a satisfying tv-viewing experience in one evening, not two or three or four, as is the growing tradition for TNT films...done sparingly, this is a treat for the audience.