Based on Michael W. Kauffman's book American Brutus, this feature-length History Channel documentary combines overlaid narration, dramatic recreations, archival stills, maps, and scholarly commentary (by Kauffman, Pulitzer-winning author Doris Kearns Goodwin, and others) to present an informative and frequently absorbing account of the conspiracy to assassinate Abraham Lincoln and other important members of his administration (specifically Vice President Andrew Johnson and Secretary of State William Seward). But the focus of filmmaker Tom Jennings' The Hunt for John Wilkes Booth is on Booth's attempt to avoid capture after he murdered Lincoln—a 12-day national manhunt that ended with the actor's death at an isolated Virginia farm (the arrest, conviction, and punishment of others implicated in Booth's plot is also covered, though in less detail). The narrative nicely juxtaposes a vivid recreation of Booth's flight across Maryland and the Potomac with coverage of the effort directed by Secretary of War Edwin Stanton to track Booth down. The public outcry over the president's killer—a reaction that shocked Booth, who expected to be hailed as a hero and was hugely disappointed when he was excoriated as a traitor—is also addressed, with anecdotes well chosen to reveal the national mood of mixed fear and fury. Sure to appeal to both Lincoln aficionados and Civil War buffs—and an excellent tie-in to James L. Swanson's bestselling 2006 nonfiction account Manhunt—this is highly recommended. Aud: H, C, P. (F. Swietek)
The Hunt for John Wilkes Booth
(2007) 94 min. DVD: $19.95. The History Channel (avail. from most distributors). PPR. Closed captioned. ISBN: 1-4229-0732-5. Volume 23, Issue 4
The Hunt for John Wilkes Booth
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