6.9/10
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The Conspirator (2010)

Trailer
2:24 | Trailer
Mary Surratt is the lone female charged as a co-conspirator in the assassination trial of Abraham Lincoln. As the whole nation turns against her, she is forced to rely on her reluctant lawyer to uncover the truth and save her life.

Director:

Robert Redford

Writers:

James D. Solomon (as James Solomon), James D. Solomon (story) (as James Solomon) | 1 more credit »
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3,409 ( 730)
2 wins & 3 nominations. See more awards »

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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
James McAvoy ... Frederick Aiken
Robin Wright ... Mary Surratt
Kevin Kline ... Edwin Stanton
Evan Rachel Wood ... Anna Surratt
Tom Wilkinson ... Reverdy Johnson
Justin Long ... Nicholas Baker
Danny Huston ... Joseph Holt
James Badge Dale ... William Hamilton
Colm Meaney ... General Hunter
Alexis Bledel ... Sarah Weston
Johnny Simmons ... John Surratt
Toby Kebbell ... John Wilkes Booth
Jonathan Groff ... Louis Weichmann
Stephen Root ... John Lloyd
John Cullum ... Justice Wylie
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Storyline

In the wake of Abraham Lincoln's assassination, seven men and one woman are arrested and charged with conspiring to kill the President, the Vice-President, and the Secretary of State. The lone woman charged, Mary Surratt, 42, owns a boarding house where John Wilkes Booth and others met and planned the simultaneous attacks. Against the ominous back-drop of post-Civil War Washington, newly-minted lawyer, Frederick Aiken, a 28-year-old Union war-hero, reluctantly agrees to defend Surratt before a military tribunal. As the trial unfolds, Aiken realizes his client may be innocent and that she is being used as bait and hostage in order to capture the only conspirator to have escaped a massive manhunt, her own son. Written by Anonymous

Plot Summary | Add Synopsis

Taglines:

One bullet killed the President. But not one man.

Genres:

Crime | Drama | History

Certificate:

14A | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

View content advisory »
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Did You Know?

Trivia

Robin Wright was initially unavailable to make the film due to personal commitments. Robert Redford delayed production briefly because he really wanted her for the female lead. See more »

Goofs

Anne tells Aiken her brother's room is upstairs on the left. He goes upstairs and makes a right into the room. From the camera angle it is on the left, but from Aiken's perspective it is on the right. See more »

Quotes

[first lines]
Frederick Aiken: Two men standing at the Pearly Gates. The first man says, "How'd you die?" Second says, "I froze to death. How 'bout you?" And the, uh, second man says, "Well, I thought my... my wife was being unfaithful to me, so I ran all the way home. And burst into the bedroom. She just..."
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Connections

Featured in Maltin on Movies: The Conspirator (2011) See more »

Soundtracks

Empty
Performed by Ray LaMontagne
Courtesy of the RCA Records Label
By Arrangement with Sony Music Licensing
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User Reviews

 
A very historically accurate, dramatic film.
15 March 2011 | by anneboleyn15See all my reviews

I had the pleasure of viewing this film at a press screening recently, as well as hearing an interesting Q&A afterwords. I was very impressed with this film.

I've read extensively about the topic of the Lincoln assassination, and came into the theatre expecting another Hollywood style period piece, one that minces facts and creates story lines where there are none. I came out feeling very contented, and a little teary. This movie is very well acted and truly conveys the emotion felt by the characters in history, unlike some civil war films.

This movie truly is about the struggle between justice and country. I won't give much away, but the emotional conflicts in this film are very deep and strong. I was very surprised at James Mcavoy's handling of the character, and more so his good American accent :D. Robin Wright and other supporting cast are also superb. Do see this movie when it comes out! It's a fantastic drama that will keep you at the edge of your seat, mixed in with fantastic period details. Any fan of American history and the civil war will enjoy this.


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Frequently Asked Questions

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

15 April 2011 (USA) See more »

Also Known As:

The Conspirator See more »

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Box Office

Budget:

$25,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$3,506,602, 17 April 2011

Gross USA:

$11,538,204

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$15,625,544
See more on IMDbPro »

Company Credits

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Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | DTS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1
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