Robert Redford to Direct Lincoln Assassination Film

by Joey Paur

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Looks like Robert Redford has jumped on board to direct a historical drama based on the famous assassination of Abraham Lincoln. Of course there will be an acute interest in political topics surrounding this event. The movie will be called The Conspirator and it is the story of Mary Surratt, alleged conspirator of Abraham Lincoln assassin John Wilkes Booth. For those of you who don't know, Mary Stuart was the first women sentenced to death by hanging by the United States federal government for her involvement in the assassination.

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Surratt was a Washington D.C. boardinghouse owner who sympathized with the Confederates, she was allegedly part of the plot to kill Lincoln, supplying Wilkes Booth and his accomplice David Herold weapons at her tavern after the assassin had shot the president at Ford's Theater. Surratt's son John was also alleged to be part of the conspiracy.

The movie will also center on a young Union hero named Frederick Aiken who was appointed to defend Mary Surratt, and who comes to believe that the widow is innocent.

James McAvoy is on the top of the list to take on one of the lead roles. I assume it is for the role of Frederick Aiken.

Redford likes to get his political views out to people in the films that he makes, and I'm interested to see how he tackles this one. The subject matter of the movie is very compelling. From the sound of it, this film is going to take the side of Mary Surratt and sympathize with her.

I've always been fascinated with the events that transpired after Lincoln was assassinated and how everything went down. It's pretty interesting stuff.

The last film Redford made was Lions for Lambs, which was not that good at all.

Steven Spielberg has been talking about directing his Abraham Lincoln biopic for a few years now, I wonder if it's ever going to happen. I hope so! I've been looking forward to it forever.

The Conspirator is set to shoot in the fall. What do you think about this new film that Redford is taking on?

Source: THR

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