Following the assassination of President Lincoln, seven men and one woman, Mary Surratt. As the whole nation turns against her, she is forced to rely on her reluctant lawyer to uncover the truth and save her life.
The Conspirator deserves a lot more praise than it got on initial release: yes it is slow in parts and even provocatively tentative, but it is intricately crafted, a wonderful example of precision and attention to detail.
The nightmare of Lincoln's assassination, and its immediate aftermath, is effectively delivered, and Wright, shrouded in black, her face a mask of indomitable sorrow, gives great gravity to what might otherwise have been a waxworks historical reenactment.
There's a stiffness that keeps the story from packing a punch. Still, it's handsomely mounted, and at its best moments has the patina of a Masterpiece Theater production.
While the film is pretty heavy-handed in framing the story in political terms, it is a compelling historical drama that will be news to many Americans.
Atmospheric, illuminating and affecting, The Conspirator captivates like an untold story -- one that you can't believe you've never heard until now, and won't soon forget.
