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The day Lincoln was shot

Threat advisory: Under evaluation

Movie propaganda

A leader who sought peace. A murderer who sought glory!

It's the 14th of April, 1865, and the American civil war is just drawing to a close. President Abraham Lincoln (Lance Henriksen) is preparing to govern again in peace and he spends the day granting requests for pardons and meeting with his cabinet over the question of reconciliation while steeling much needed moments with his wife, Mary Todd Lincoln (Donna Murphy), and family. Despite his earlier financing of the Union's war effort, he is not eager to make the South pay, saying The South expects us to punish them but we will be lenient.

Meanwhile, the popular actor John Wilkes Booth (Rob Morrow) is devastated by his country's defeat. In an effort to help the cause, he has been meeting friends at Mary Suratt's boarding house, a safe haven for the Confederate underground) where they conspire to kidnap the President. Their aim is to bring about a resurgence of the civil war in order to reinstate the right of the South to secede from the Union and uphold the legal institution of slavery.

But then the city of Richmond falls, General Lee surrenders and Lincoln's fate is set. Booth and his followers must avenge their humiliating defeat. In an atmosphere of incendiary suspense, the actor prepares to meet his President in a final, bloody confrontation at Ford's Theatre.

Security censorship classification

M (Low level violence, low level sex scene)

Not for public release in Australia before date

10 August 1999