James A. Garfield and His Assassin in “Death by Lightning”
Screenwriter Mike Makowsky spent several months working through government channels to gain access to authentic historical materials. This deep research process shaped his vision for the new Netflix limited series “Death by Lightning.”
The four-part production opens with a detailed reconstruction of the events surrounding Charles J. Guiteau, the man who assassinated the 20th president of the United States, James A. Garfield, in 1881. The series intertwines their stories, portraying both Garfield’s brief but principled time in office and Guiteau’s descent into delusion that culminated in murder.
Garfield’s former residence in Mentor, now preserved as the James A. Garfield National Historic Site under the care of the National Park Service, features as a symbolic setting in the narrative.
“Death by Lightning” adapts Candice Millard’s 2011 book “Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of a President.”
The show stars Michael Shannon, known for “Man of Steel” and “Take Shelter,” as President Garfield, and Matthew Macfadyen, recognized from “Pride & Prejudice” and “Succession,” as the unstable assassin Guiteau.
Author’s Summary
Netflix’s “Death by Lightning” vividly reimagines the intertwined fates of President Garfield and his assassin Guiteau, blending history, tragedy, and political drama.