THE LEGEND OF LIZZIE BORDEN

US, 1975, 100 minutes, Colour.
Elizabeth Montgomery, Fritz Weaver, Katherine Helmond, Ed Flanders, Don Porter, Fionnula Flanagan, John Beal.
Directed by Paul Wendkos.

The Legend of Lizzie Borden is an above-average telemovie. It takes the story of the notorious murderess of the late 19th. century and dramatises the situation, the trials, her acquittal. There are many flashbacks indicating the
kind of life she had led and her relationship to the parents she murdered.

The decor and costumes and art direction are excellent. There is a re-creation of Massachusetts society in the late 19th. century with a re-creation of towns, courts, prisons. This gives the audience a sense of being immersed in the situation. The film also has an excellent cast with a tour de force by Elizabeth Montgomery as Lizzie. Katherine Helmond (in her pre 'Soap' days) is excellent as her sister Emma. There is a persuasive performance by Ed Flanders as Lizzie's prosecutor. Fritz Weaver is excellent also as Lizzie's father. The film has a great deal to say about violent crime, motivation - and madness and lack of emotion in such killers as Lizzie. However, as one of the characters remarks, she understands the motivation although she cannot condone the act. This means that the film explores something of American society in the 19th. century, especially the suppression of women's rights. It is alleged that this helps to explain Lizzie's violent reaction especially against her father. While the screenplay produces the known evidence about Lizzie Borden and the murders. it does so persuasively and intelligently. There is also an atmospheric score. The film might be compared with other films about psychopathic killers e.g. Richard Fleischer's The Strangler of Rillington Place.

1. An interesting and entertaining telemovie? The dramatisation of a famous American criminal case? A focus on the legend and the verse and the explanation of it? Character study? Study of crime, law? American society, violence, madness?

2. The title and its focus on the legend? The crime tried in the 19th. century, suspicions afterwards? Legend and the impact of the crime, of Lizzie Borden, talk about her, entering into the popular consciousness? The facts of the case, the evidence? The film's contribution to understanding the case, understanding Lizzie Borden? The prosecutor's wife and her distinction between sympathy for the motives, while condemnation of the act?

3. The production values of the film: elaborate values for a telemovie - sets, decor, the re-creation of the 1890s? Art styles, photography styles of the time? The atmosphere of Massachusetts? The city, homes, courts, prisons, streets? Costumes? The manners and style of the times? The quality of the colour photography? The atmosphere of the musical score?

4. The structure of the film: chronology? Psychological development? The various sections of the film: the date, crime, accusation. trial, betrayal. trump card? The focus on the crime, the response of the family, public response, the legal implications, justice? The flashbacks within this framework - for Lizzie, for Bridget? The selective memories? The style of the flashbacks and memories with the explanation of Lizzie's having morphia sedation? Dream-like aspects of the flashbacks? The build-up to the statement of the verdict and the insertion of the dramatising of the crime? The memory collage for Lizzie within the flashback for explaining her motivation? The ending, the factual information given, the singing of the popular verse?

5. The point of view of the film-makers? The factors explaining the Borden family. Lizzie's situation both in the family and in society at the time? The fairness of the film towards Lizzie? The administration of justice? The important distinction between the motives and the act? Andrew Borden and his treatment of his daughter, his life style, his moods, expectations of his daughters, pressure on them, cruelty? Abbie Borden and her being resented, her resenting her step-daughters? The atmosphere of repression, feminism and the suppression of Lizzie's ambitions? The point made about women and hiding behind their skirts and Mrs. Knowlton's comment about the necessity and the need for women to do this? The fairness of the film on the level of the character of Lizzie, Lizzie in society? The value of the film as a comment on and critique of the times?

6. The initial situation of the crime and the information given, Lizzie's presence, Bridget's presence and her getting help, Mrs. Churchill passing by? Everybody's concern? The role of the doctor? The finding of the two bodies? The police and their questions? Lizzie’s reaction?

7. The introduction to Lizzie as a person - her matter-of-fact attitude towards the deaths, her seeming grief, her not showing any emotion - and the later public comment on this? Her dress - not wearing black? The will and its conditions and benefit for Lizzie? The suspicions and the family concealing these from her? Her reaction to Bridget, to Emma?

8. The importance of Lizzie's relationship to Emma? Her depending on her? The older and younger sister, Emma’s protection? The revealing of their past attitudes - Emma's repression, fidelity? Lizzie's use of money, going on the trip with Emma's money, wanting her own room? Lizzie getting what she wanted? Her wilful attitudes and Emma's supporting them? Their overhearing about the will? The behaviour at the trial - Emma's wondering, supporting Lizzie, anxiety and support during the trial? Lizzie blaming Emma at times - about hats and dresses? Emma's leaving at the verdict? Asking the specific question about her guilt? Preparing dinner? The ending with the information about their lives afterwards? How skilfully drawn was the character of Emma - as a person of the time, affected by the family and the house? The parallel to Lizzie - but suppressing her resentment instead of breaking out?

9. Lizzie's relationship with her father: her memories of herself as a child, being deprived of her mother, the ring and the gift to her father (and its being on his hand in the coffin), his forcing her to touch the corpse, the spurt of blood and her revulsion? Her dislike of Mrs. Borden? Her trip to Europe? Her complaints about the house e.g. the baths-and toilets? Her father's destruction of the pigeons with the axe, the blood on her dress? oppression, love and hatred? Her welcoming him on his return home? His saying she was a puzzling child? Her killing him? The character of Andrew Borden - reputation, work, success, his harshness e.g. the mutton broth for five days and Bridget's illness? Mrs. Borden and her hardness? The question of the will?

10. Bridget and her position in the house, her being Irish - and the Irish excluded from shops e.g. the notice in the city? Finding the work hard, her witnessing the fights -the flashbacks and her denial of animosity in the court? The recapitulation of the day of the killings - the broth, her illness, the work, getting the water, getting help? Her witnessing in the Coroner's court? In the final court?

11. The background of the Bordens' friends and their support? The funeral? Giving evidence? The discussion about Lizzie’s burning her dress?

12. Hosea Knowlton and his work as prosecutor, his tactics? His personality and antagonism towards Lizzie? The harshness of his questions, his gestures of disgust? His judging her guilty and wanting to get her condemned? His determination and exasperation? Friendship with the mayor and their discussions? His wife and her defending Lizzie's motives and her strong feminist speech? His unsympathetic reaction? Discussions about the case, cross-examination of the witnesses? His being foiled e.g. with the forensic evidence?

13. Robinson and his background of being State Governor, his skill, his covering every contingency and defending Lizzie excellently? The support for Robinson. support for Lizzie - the feminist picketing of the court?

14. The social implications of the case and the film's emphasis on these? Who was to blame for the murder? Lizzie's sanity or insanity? Social pressures?

15. The verdict and the flashback: the audience waiting to hear the verdict, the background of listening with Emma about the will, the growing hatred, the episode with the pigeons and the axe, stealing the axe from the shop, the detailed planning of the killings, her stripping, murdering her stepmother, washing herself and emptying the water in the toilets, her laughter as Bridget answered the door, her lying down, welcoming her father, stripping and killing him, washing herself anew, changing her dress, burning the dress, her ease in denying all accusations and charges? Her winning sympathies? The sequences at home, in prison, in the courts? The importance of her being dosed with morphine? Her changeable moods? Her lack of grief? Her saying that she grieved inwardly?

16. Her freedom, meeting Emma, saying that they were free? The aftermath? Justice, truth, morality? Crime and madness? The legend and the verse?