I SAW LIZZIE BORDEN TOOK AN AX

To continue my Lizzie Borden, film spree (see September posts for Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story and The Legend of Lizzie Borden), I delved into an interesting, Lifetime gem from 2014: Lizzie Borden Took an Ax. 

Directed by Nick Gomez and scripted by Stephen Kay, Lizzie Borden Took An Ax distinguishes the legend with bluesy, musical segues and at the outset leaves the murders open to interpretation. In other words, did Lizzie, portrayed by genre favorite Christina Ricci, kill her parents? For all intent, the evidence points to such, if only based on the accused's peculiar behavior.

Lizzie is depicted as a thief who disrespects her parents, in particular her strict father, Andrew, played by Stephen (James Dean) McHattie. She even tries to seduce him to have her way, all to no avail. (The relationship, as rendered in this version, alludes to Natalie Wood and William Hopper's in Rebel Without a Cause, though much more succinct per Lizzie's self-serving actions.) 

The supporting cast complements Ricci quite well, lending ample compassion and trepidation toward its prime figure, with McHattie giving a standout performance, joined by Sara Botsford as Abbey Borden; Clea Duvall as Emma Borden; Adria Wilson as Nance McNeill; Shawn Hillard as Marshal Hilliard; and as opposing, legal opponents, Bill (The Rocketeer) Campbell as Andrew Jennings and Gregg (Rich Man, Poor Man: Book II) Henry as Hosea M. Knowlton, both of whom give the movie's second half a satisfying, Perry Mason flavor. 

The flashback-finale sequence hits a strong chord, with a conclusive view of what did happen. It's quick, jarring and indeed, serves its grisly purpose, capping off the production in a way that feels only fitting. As a result, one may not hold much empathy for Lizzie, but the outcome is more sincere than the ambivalence presented in the Netflix series, where a male-dominated society receives the main blame. 

One can catch Lizzie Borden Took an Ax on Amazon Prime. 

(BTW: Lizzie Borden Took an Ax proved popular enough to spawn a Lifetime sequel/miniseries. I plan to post on it soon. Stay tuned.)