Product: History's Mysteries - The Strange Case of Lizzie Borden (History Channel) (2005)
Rating: 2.0
1800s Woman on Trial
You would almost think this was made by Court TV, rather than another cable channel. It's intended for those who like the true crime genre, even with its dash of feminism and women's studies. This work has some cheesy reenactments in it. For example, the murder victims were bludgeoned, but the actors portray them as if they were fainting and there is no fake blood anywhere. One actor has huge, 19th-Century sideburns that were obviously bought at a five-and-dime wig shop and lazily glued on.The work foreshadows matters by saying "crime of the century" and noting that the event happened in the 90s of a century. Later in the work, they very explicitly say Lizzie Borden was the O.J. Simpson of the 1800s. Later the work introduces that Miss Borden may have had lesbian relationships. I am surprised that they didn't then bring up Aileen Wuornos or Wanda Jean, lesbians in the 1990s who were prosecuted for murder, just as Miss Borden was. O.J. is as far as the work goes in trying to get modern audiences to relate.The work had female and male interviewees. One interviewee is a psychotherapist and they never once explain why she was/is an expert on the subject; very random! They don't bring up when Martin Prince in drag as Miss Borden says, "Three whacks with a wet noodle, Bart!" on "The Simpsons."