James A. Garfield and His Assassin in “Death by Lightning”
Mike Makowsky spent months securing government permission to access original materials, which led to the authentic start of his new Netflix limited series, Death by Lightning. The show opens with a carefully crafted re-creation of key historical events.
This four-part series explores the intertwined lives of James A. Garfield, the 20th President of the United States, and Charles J. Guiteau, the man who assassinated him in 1881. Garfield's home in Mentor is now the James A. Garfield National Historic Site, managed by the National Park Service.
Cast and Adaptation
The series stars Michael Shannon as the honorable Garfield, known for his roles in Man of Steel and Take Shelter, and Matthew Macfadyen as Guiteau, the disturbed assassin, recognized for his work in Pride & Prejudice and Succession.
Makowsky adapted the series from Candice Millard’s acclaimed 2011 book, Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of a President.
"The four-part affair tells the parallel stories of the 20th president of the United States, James A. Garfield, and Guiteau, the man who… assassinated him, bringing Garfield’s stewardship of the country to an early end."
The show examines the dramatic and tragic moment that cut short Garfield’s presidency and changed the course of American history.
Author's Summary
This series expertly dramatizes the tragic assassination of President Garfield, focusing on both the leader’s legacy and his assassin’s disturbed mind.