The familiar rhyme, "Lizzie Borden took an axe and gave her mother forty whacks. And when she saw what she had done, she gave her father forty-one," is where this TV movie obtained its title. Before the opening credits, we see Sunday school teacher Christina Ricci (as Lizzie Borden) sensuously eating a pear while watching a darkly attractive man outside her window. After this, she walks over to napping father Stephen McHattie (as Andrew Borden) and discovers he has been hacked to death. Understandably shaken, Ms. Ricci's "Lizzie" lets out a scream...
After the credits, we "flashback" to meet the Borden family of Massachusetts and witness the events leading up to the infamous double murder of 1892. Although we were led to believe she is innocent, Lizzie quickly reveals some serious personality flaws. Also involved is big sister Clea DuVall (as Emma Borden), who performs most genuinely. This "Lifetime" TV movie doesn't appear to know what it wants. We end up with a courtroom drama and always wonder where the story is going – if we knew that, we'd know whether or not it got there. A jived-up soundtrack ranges from puzzling to very distracting. The film's pieces simply never fall into place.
*** Lizzie Borden Took an Ax (1/25/14) Nick Gomez ~ Christina Ricci, Clea DuVall, Billy Campbell, Stephen McHattie
After the credits, we "flashback" to meet the Borden family of Massachusetts and witness the events leading up to the infamous double murder of 1892. Although we were led to believe she is innocent, Lizzie quickly reveals some serious personality flaws. Also involved is big sister Clea DuVall (as Emma Borden), who performs most genuinely. This "Lifetime" TV movie doesn't appear to know what it wants. We end up with a courtroom drama and always wonder where the story is going – if we knew that, we'd know whether or not it got there. A jived-up soundtrack ranges from puzzling to very distracting. The film's pieces simply never fall into place.
*** Lizzie Borden Took an Ax (1/25/14) Nick Gomez ~ Christina Ricci, Clea DuVall, Billy Campbell, Stephen McHattie