The Killing of Mary Surratt

The Killing of Mary Surratt is a powerful story, told in in 23 minutes, of one of the little known events in U.S. history at the time of the Civil War. Mary Surratt's story interpreted by Director Chris King and his superb cast leaves all viewers wondering--did she or didn't she? Every Lincoln and Civil War or Women's History enthusiast must see this film. Shot at popular historic locations in CA, the story is a universal one of the emotional environment and reactionary thinking in the wake of an assassination. Too bad Redford's version (The Conspirator) never quite captures the emotion of the moment in a grieving nation's collective mind, much less in Mary Surratt's.

This film about the boardinghouse innkeeper Mary Surratt's unjust hanging less than 2 months after her arrest in Lincoln's Assassination is a good one. Considering the film had next to no budget, the writer/director, cast and crew do a remarkable job in telling the story in such a short period of time. The settings in Old Sacramento along with the costumes were superb. I'm sure if King had the same Hollywood budget that the new Redford film(with a similar storyline) had, he would give him a run for his money. An entertaining and educational short film taking a true story and adding the writer's perspective on how it MAY have happened.

This is a fun 26-minute film about the killing of Mary Surratt, the woman who ran a boarding house where John Wilkes Booth was staying when he shot President Abraham Lincoln. We'll probably never know if Mary was actually connected to Booth or not, but the country was eager to capture anyone who might have been involved, so Mary became the first woman to be executed in the US.

The film's producers do a great job in a very short time of portraying the story, leaving viewers eager to read more about the event themselves. Some questions are left unanswered in the film such as her request to see a doctor for severe "female pain" while she was in custody. Was she raped or just in pain from something else? The locations used for the story are all in the Sacramento historic area including Sutter's Fort, the Governor's Mansion, the Delta King boat, and Old Sacramento. I will have to watch the film again because I talked through it too often, saying "Oh, that's the stairway in the Governor's Mansion," or "that's the railing on the Delta King." It's worth watching again!

The production value of this short film 'The Killing of Mary Surratt" is an excellent example of how passion and creative vision come together using limited funds and a dedicated team to make something truly special. Produced on a 'non-Hollywood' budget and shot in Sacramento - the filmmaker paints an eerily accurate picture of the true events. The script, cinematography and acting are superb and in my opinion, King's short is a better film than the feature length version by Robert Redford that came out AFTER King's was completed. Chris King continues to impress and inspire us with his talent as a writer and a filmmakers as he consistently creates compelling films that make a big impact.