L'homme dans la grange

This short proposes that John Wilkes Booth actually escaped after assassinating Abraham Lincoln. In 1903, Mr. David E. George is dying on his death bed in Enid, Oklahoma, and makes the incredible confession that he is actually John Wilkes Booth. It's not much of a what if story. If it is what it is, he didn't do much afterwards. It has an interesting opening setup but it's nothing more than recreating after that.

Man in the Barn, The (1937)

**** (out of four)

Jacques Tourneur directed this MGM short that takes a look at whether John Wilkes Booth was killed in 1865 or if he lived until 1903. This documentary covers both sides as to when Booth was killed but what really sets this short apart is some terrific atmosphere, a great mood and some terrific camera-work. The story is also very interesting, although who knows where the truth lies.

I don't look for history when I watch a film. I want to be entertained and this film did just that.

MGM short, narrated by Carey Wilson, that explores the rumor that John Wilkes Booth did not die in that barn in 1865, but rather escaped and lived for many years. The story starts with the 1903 deathbed confession of a man named David E. George that he was Booth. Before he can elaborate on his story, however, he falls into a coma. As the minister present at his bedside wonders aloud if Booth really did survive, narrator Wilson takes us back to 1865 to revisit the events from Lincoln's assassination to Booth's death in a barn on Garrett's farm to the examination of Booth's body afterwards. From there we get into full-blown conspiracy theory territory as Booth's alleged escape is detailed. I've seen this theory discussed on a variety of mystery & conspiracy TV programs, as well as in a few books. But it's interesting to see something from the '30s exploring it. This was directed by Jacques Tourneur, who would obviously go on to bigger things. It's an entertaining short about an interesting subject. If nothing else, it shows modern viewers that conspiracy theories have been around for a very long time.

This MGM "Historical Mystery" tells a story about the theory that John Wilkes Booth did not die in 1865, but lived until the early 20th century.

It's produced and narrated by Carey Wilson, one of MGM's senior screenwriters; his credits include BEN-HUR and MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY. Judging by the shorts he narrated for the company, he was also given to fanciful theories. Nostradamus, the Mary Celeste, the possibility that the rightful king of France was a Minnesotan, Wilson espoused them all. If he were alive today, not only would he be very old, he'd probably be a member of QAnon, talking about child kidnappers operating out of the basement of a pizza joint... that has no basement.

This is a great short film about the longstanding theory that John Wilkes Booth escaped his death at Garrett's barn in Virginia, twelve days after he shot and killed President Abraham Lincoln at Ford's Theater.

This was produced shortly after the records were released from the conspiracy trial...and many years after Finis Bates' landmark book The Escape and Suicide of John Wilkes Booth had been published.

Tourneur's "Man in the Barn" had to have been shot as a "sizzle" for a potential feature-length film. I guess there wasn't enough interest in taking the story further, or if you believe what some researchers believe, the film could have been killed for a very good reason.

For the complete story, check out the novel The Man in the Barn: Digging Up Lincoln's Killer. It comes out on April 26, 2015 - the 150th anniversary of John Wilkes Booth's death at the barn.