Il caso di Lizzie Borden

Lifetime TV movie about the murder trial of Lizzie Borden. I think we're all pretty familiar with the case so I won't go over that part. Basically, Lifetime takes the Lizzie Borden story and adds sex appeal and rock music. It's pretty silly at times but entertaining enough. Christina Ricci's performance borders on campy which probably helps the movie more than harms it. Having seen and read quite a bit over the years about this case I know they played fast & loose with the facts, as just about any movie does with historical events. Although I could be wrong and Lizzie did, in fact, show off her cleavage and go to raves. Maybe historians just don't want us to know the ugly truth. If this were a theatrical release I would rate it lower. But since it's made for television, it's actually above par. If you can find it you should definitely check out the 1970s TV movie with Elizabeth Montgomery called The Legend of Lizzie Borden. It's much better and you can enjoy it on a serious level without the giggle factor this version produces.

Closely follows the real story, as well as being an adequate remake of the 1975 TV version with Elizabeth Montgomery in the titular role. (Her performance was much more nuanced and provided significant ambiguity regarding Lizzie's actual guilt.) Christina Ricci is in fine form; the locations and costumes are accurate to the period; and overall, it should have been a good movie. The operative here being "should"......

However, the movie has been trashed by a nerve-wracking soundtrack. The utterly incongruous heavy rock music is totally inappropriate! This is NOT a movie meant to have a contemporary "feel" to it! It's like trying to watch Swan Lake with the soundtrack from The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Whoever decided this was the way to go for a period movie had rocks in their head!

Was looking forward to watching this but a let down. As the others reviewers added, music was awful. Should have been no music or period music. Blaring Sons of Anarchy-type songs did not fit in with an 1892 murder case! And was so poorly edited as to block out characters speaking...! Ricci performance was decent. Rest of movie a disappointment. Would have liked more development on Bridget the Irish maid and Emma. Possibly more angles from neighbors, town-folk. The movie to watch on the case was Legend of Lizzie Borden with Elizabeth Montgomery. What a surprise from her Bewitched days! Her portrayal was edgy and spot on.

What a great story! Spinster daughter, faced with penurious life because inheritance could go to hated stepmother, is accused of killing stepmother and father with an ax. Why tart up film with weird atmospheric sounds, hip music, and unhistorical hints of incestuous emotions. A straight telling of events emphasizing the dependent role of women in the 19th century, the inability of society to accept that women could kill parents,and other legal and cultural aspects of Victorian America would have been enough. Christina Ricci, skillful actor though she is, seems to be reprising her role as the evil child in the Addams Family. She really needs to dial back the wide eyed penetrating stares and consider other ways to convey emotion. Clea Duvall, Lizzie's sister, was a standout. Not only did she looking a person of the late 19th century, she acted as one. Would that Christina Ricci had done the same.

What a disappointing film.

I think this movie could have been a truly good film. Unfortunately, the mixture of this period film with rock and roll music and synthesizer music makes this almost unbearable. The acting is good and the scenery is well done. Costumes are perfect for the period. Christina Ricci plays the part well as she does with most of the roles she takes on. I also like Clea Duvall as Emma. She does a great job opposite Ricci. I only wish that Nick Gomez would have hired someone to do the music that would have put the scenes with music that fit the period. I think some piano, violin, and other strings would have been much more suitable to this film. Occasionally there is some nice creepy music over some scenes, but in the transitions between scenes we are forced to hear Sons Of Jezebel's song "Whoo Boy". It just doesn't fit. Overall this movie was a let down.