MovieChat Forums > In the Line of Fire (1993) Discussion > What was Booth's motivation?

What was Booth's motivation?

posted 3 months ago by Callahan7 (1191)
4 replies | jump to latest

Mitch Leary (Booth) makes comments that indicate that he is an antinatalist. "Life is random, it has no meaning..." etc. When Frank asks him why he wants to kill the President he says "To punctuate the dreariness."

Antinatalists believe procreation is wrong. They believe is immoral to have children, to inflict life on a sentient being that has no say in the matter.

Leary was some sort of dark operative for the CIA. A "wetboy". An assassin. His work or his general inclination made him an atheist and possibly an antinatalist.

He seems apolitical and cynical. So why does he want to kill the POTUS?

A good film. I'm just curious about his motives.

[–] GreenGoblinsOck8 (7792) 3 months ago

I just say he's got PTSD and has gone crazy because of what he did for the CIA. And because of the CIA sending his friend to kill him.

[–] BKB (10515) 3 months ago

Working for the CIA messed him up and then having his friend come after him probably didn't help.. He was like a rabid dog that simply needed to be put down at that point. Good movie

[–] Callahan7 (1191) 3 months ago

That makes sense BKB.

He wanted to have "panache" like John Wilkes Booth. JWB assassinated Lincoln for political reasons pertaining to ending slavery and the Civil War.

Leary had no such reasons. There is no backstory on the President, his political policies, party affiliation etc., are not explained.

I guess he just wanted to punctuate the dreariness.

[–] Boromir (10072) 2 months ago

In my opinion, he has unresolved issues with his country and blames the U.S. for the traumas inflicted upon him. For him, assassinating the president is an act of revenge against a nation he believes has betrayed him. He may feel abandoned and no longer valued by the administration as he once was, which could explain why he reacted so strongly when he sensed Frank belittling him. There's also a possibility that Mitch seeks fame before his death. Although he views his death as insignificant, possibly aligning with an antinatalist perspective, he still doesn’t want to leave the world as an anonymous and isolated figure.