The Tall Target (1951) [Warner Archive Blu-ray review]

The Tall Target is set on the eve of Abraham Lincoln’s first inauguration in March 1861—at a moment when the nation teeters on the brink of civil war—the story posits a secret conspiracy by secessionist sympathizers to kill the president-elect as he passes through Baltimore. This scenario spins off a real-life rumor known as the “Baltimore Plot,” rumored to threaten Lincoln’s trip to Washington. While the precise historical record remains debated, The Tall Target fictionalizes the threat into a gripping cinematic possibility: What if unscrupulous Southern partisans truly planned to strike on a night train?

Enter the world of people trying to kill Abe Lincoln

Though set in 1861, The Tall Target resonates for any era that grapples with political polarization and the threat of violence. The film’s sense that a single bullet or conspiratorial act could tip the country into chaos fosters an eerie parallel to modern times. By centering the story on everyday individuals—be they train staff, soldiers returning home, or enslaved persons yearning for emancipation—the film personalizes the looming national crisis.

Keep an eye on the clock

As each station whisks them closer to Baltimore, the tension escalates. Is the plot bigger than even Kennedy suspects? Whose whispered conversations mask conspiracy? Who can he trust? The film’s crux lies in that claustrophobic sense of time running out, the sense that each unseen corner might harbor a hidden gun. Meanwhile, the unstoppable momentum of the locomotive echoes the unstoppable forces that threaten to tear the nation apart.

Anthony Mann proves he is a master director

The Tall Target’s brisk 78-minute run time underscores Mann’s penchant for lean storytelling. There’s little room for digressions. Scenes of conversation pivot quickly to urgent revelations, brawls, or near-catastrophes. That efficiency compels the viewer to stay alert—like Kennedy himself—scanning each new face and snippet of dialogue for clues to the assassin’s identity. This economy of style extends to the violence: scuffles or gunshots erupt suddenly, reminding us how peril can strike in an eyeblink.

Mann sprinkles references to the larger crisis dividing the nation: overheard comments about Lincoln’s election, the tension between uniformed Union soldiers and secret secessionists onboard. Yet The Tall Target never devolves into a lecture. Instead, it leverages historical context to heighten the drama of individuals grappling with the moral upheavals of the era. By film’s end, the sense that Lincoln’s survival (and by extension, the fragile Union’s fate) rests on the success or failure of one detective’s mission resonates far beyond the train’s immediate action.

It’s the What Could Have Happened Scenarios that empower movies

I say this after watching Arrow’s 4K of Inglorious Basterds, but The Tall Target is quite the follow-up. Alternate history tales are not a new thing, but very rarely do you see someone try to tell a tale of reality but just hem the edges enough to make a cinematic narrative. Hell, just discussing the Baltimore Plot and what happened to Lincoln showed a real lack of historical knowledge in my fellow Americans. Well, outside of those that could remember the Drunk History episode about it.

The Tall Target’s “what-if” scenario about a Lincoln assassination attempt is bold. Viewers know Lincoln was indeed threatened by real conspiracies en route to Washington, though the historical “Baltimore Plot” was thwarted. By dramatizing an assassin’s plan on a single night train, Mann invites contemplation of how easily the nation’s fate might have shifted. The alternate timelines that flicker under the film’s surface add an intellectual dimension to the noir tension.

The Tall Target comes to Warner Archive Blu-ray

Warner Archive’s disc features a 4K remaster from original nitrate camera negatives—though displayed at 1080p, the difference from older DVDs or TV broadcasts is stark. This high-def transfer emphasizes every subtle gradation of black and gray, capturing Vogel’s moody lighting. Crisp lines bring the train’s period décor into sharp relief. The film’s age is preserved through tasteful grain, ensuring a cinematic texture.

The disc’s mono track is equally refined, delivering dialogue with clear presence. Hugo Friedhofer’s score and the train’s rhythmic “clickety-clack” remain balanced, letting each hush or footstep echo with significance. Explosive moments—a gunshot, a violent scuffle—cut through with satisfying impact.

The Tall Target special features range wildly in scope. You get the 1949 radio broadcast of Mr. President with Edward Arnold. Plus, you get the classic MGM cartoons. Tack on the trailer and you’ve almost got a full deck to recreate the original theatrical exhibition. I love that sort of stuff and wish more studios would do it. Pick up The Tall Target from Warner Archive today!

The Tall Target is now available to buy on Blu-ray from Warner Archive at MovieZyng

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