Could Robert Redford’s Civil War courtroom drama “The Conspirator” starring the the likes of Robin Wright, James McAvoy, Kevin Kline and Tom Wilkinson be a sleeper pick in the Cannes Film Festival line up announced later this month?
The director is reportedly planning to finish editing the film by month’s end which seems a touch prompt for a film that had been presumably set for an Oscar-baiting fall release. Lensing began on the pic last October for the story of Mary Surratt (Wright), an accused co-conspirator in the assassination of Abraham Lincoln by John Wilkes Booth who finds herself relying on reluctant lawyer and ex-war hero (McAvoy) to uncover the truth and save her life.
In our early script review, we noted that what begins as “a well-executed and page-turning script” unfortunately becomes a ” fairly conventional and safe, courtroom/period piece drama with lots of lawyer chestbeating and speeches about our freedoms and rights.” Hopes though still lie in the stellar cast of Wright, McAvoy, Kline and Wilkinson which also includes the likes of Toby Kebbell, Evan Rachel Wood, Danny Huston, Alexis Bledel, Justin Long, Johnny Simmons, James Badge Dale and Stephen Root.
Whether or not an April finish for film was planned all along or whether Redford has a certain deadline fast approaching remains to be seen. Any connection to Cannes is just speculation on our behalf at this point but the Sundance kid himself at Cannes with his legion of actors on the red carpet is surely an attractive prospect for organizers.
Redford also reiterated his desire to make the Jackie Robinson biopic solely noting the project something “in development.” The project was first announced in 2008 with Thomas Carter as director and Redford as baseball maverick Branch Rickey who signed Robinson — the first black player in the modern era — for the Brooklyn Dodgers and is also credited with signing the first Hispanic baseballer, Roberto Clemente; developing the modern minor league system and introducing the helmet.
The Sundance Kid even took time to provide his two cents on 3D technology noting that “‘Avatar’ is very effective and very powerful because you can be absorbed in the imagery. I think (3-D) will work for larger, major films that are more blockbuster in shape and the IMAX films. I’m not so sure about the smaller independent films or television.”
“I think technology is driving things to the point where it is beginning to dictate the spirit of something… But I think a good story well told will always be the name of the game.” Amen, sir. Amen.
